Brown says Britain will never forget Hillsborough

Britain will never forget the 96 people crushed to death in the Hillsborough stadium disaster, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Tuesday on the eve of the tragedy’s 20th anniversary.

“People will never forget that day; it’s etched on our memories,” he told Liverpool football club’s television channel.

Brown attacked press reports that blamed Liverpool fans for the tragedy, caused by massive overcrowding in the terraces behind the goal at the Sheffield ground during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

Such was the revulsion of Liverpool supporters at some of the reports that they organised a boycott of the Sun tabloid newspaper.

“That’s probably what matters most – that people understood that the behaviour of Liverpool fans in helping each other was magnificent,” he said.

“That it was wrong for people to blame, as some did, Liverpool fans on that day. People have learned first of all not to rush to instant judgments. Some of the people who did rush to instant judgments have been proven wrong.”

Brown added: “Let’s never forget the fans who cruelly lost their lives on a day when we know the people of Liverpool were trying to help each other.”

Wednesday’s anniversary will be marked with a memorial service to be held at Liverpool’s Anfield ground.