Families of 96 Hillsborough victims finally get close to the truth

I am not a Liverpool fan or an expert on what happened at Hillsborough on April 15^th 1989, but I am a proud citizen of Liverpool.

There is now a sense around the city that people are finally getting to know the truth about what happened on that fateful day 23 years ago, after the release of the report on the disaster by the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

Truth

There has been lots of discussion about Hillsborough down the years and Liverpool’s fans involvement in the disaster.

The Hillsborough Independent Panel report released yesterday will hopefully reveal who was really responsible for the tragedy.

Responsibility

Anybody that reads the files and new report will know that it wasn’t the Liverpool fans that were responsible for the tragedy. I hope that in the coming months that other truths will revealed and the appropriate people will be brought to justice.

Revealed

The reports revealed these three key facts:

That 41 people out of the 96 could have potentially been saved beyond the 3:15 time determined by the original inquest.

There were flaws in the police operation and new evidence that the police carried out checks on those who had died in order to “impugn their reputations”.

That 164 statements were “significantly amended” and 116 “removed negative comments” about policing operation.

Families

I was just a six year-old when the Hillsborough disaster took place, but I remember there being a great sense of sadness in the whole city. The family and friends of the 96 poor souls who perished at Hillsborough have fought a brave fight to find out the truth.

They never believed that Liverpool fans were responsible and always believed that they would find out the truth about the disaster. They have to be praised for their bravery and determination.

I’m not so sure I would be able to fight that hard after such a tragic loss. Hopefully these files and report being released into the public domain will give the families the answers that they deserve.

Those 96 fans went to a football game and never came back. It’s just incomprehensible to me. I have been to hundreds of football games in my life and never even thought that I wouldn’t come back.

Unfortunately, those 96 never came back, due to the incompetence of other people they lost their lives and were part of the biggest tragedy the English game has ever seen.

Allegiances

This is the sort of tragedy that transcends football allegiances. This is about more than just football. There was a two minute’s silence in Liverpool today at 3:06 and where I was it was impeccably observed.

Everton Football Club and our supporters have made a great effort to support our usually bitter-rivals. When it comes to life and death the people of Liverpool will always unite and seek justice together.

Apology

British Prime Minister David Cameron has apologised to the families of the 96 people who died at Hillsborough. He stated that the Liverpool fans were not responsible for the tragedy and stated the families of the 96 suffered a “double injustice”.

Cameron has apologised, but other governments and Prime Ministers since the tragedy must be held responsible for not allowing the families of the 96 to know the truth about what REALLY happened on April 15^th 1989.

Peace

I just hope that the release of the report and the files will bring the families of those innocent 96 some peace. The report won’t bring back their loved ones, but at least they now have the chance to know the truth.

The families have believed for 23 years that their relatives were not responsible for own fates and were just innocent victims of incompetency from elsewhere. Today’s release of the report has vindicated their efforts and beliefs.

I’m sure those families will never walk alone; they will always have their relatives in their hearts, souls and in their minds. I’m sure I speak for everybody at Soccernews when I say I hope the 96 innocent victims of Hillsborough rest in peace.

This article is dedicated to the families of the 96 people that lost their lives on April 15^th 1989. You’ll Never Walk Alone.