Lansdowne Road football riot
Encyclopedia
The Lansdowne Road football riot was a riot
during a friendly football match between Ireland
and England
in Lansdowne Road
stadium on 15 February 1995. The riot was caused by Combat 18
and left twenty people injured. Combat 18's plans to cause trouble during the match was known by the British National Criminal Intelligence Service
(NCIS), and this was communicated to the Garda Síochána
(Gardai). An inquiry into the events found that the events could have been avoided if the gardai had acted on the information from the NCIS.
(BNP) events. It later split from the BNP because Sargent felt that they were "too soft". Combat 18 has used football hooliganism
as a recruiting ground, and has plotted to send parcel bombs to sports stars in mixed marriages.
in Dublin. Before the 1995 friendly match, the Football Association of Ireland
(FAI) held talks with the Football Association (FA) to review security arrangements in order to avoid a similar episode. The FA was offered 4000 out of approximately 40,000 tickets for English fans.
As the National Anthem
s of both sides were being played, there was some trouble, with some Irish fans jeering God Save The Queen
, and some English fans, including members of Combat 18, chanting "Sieg Heil", "no surrender to the IRA", "Ulster is British", and giving the Nazi salute
as Amhrán na bhFiann
was playing. The match began at 6:15pm, and after 21 minutes, David Kelly
scored a goal for Ireland. When an English goal was disallowed, some of the English fans began throwing debris down into the lower stands, including parts of benches which they had ripped out earlier in the match. When this happened, the referee immediately stopped the game, and brought the players off the pitch. When Jack Charlton
, the Irish manager, walked off the pitch, the mob shouted "Judas, Judas". The fans in the lower stands then spilled out onto the pitch in order to escape the missiles from the English fans. Some Irish fans had mistakenly been put into the area where the English fans were when the FA returned a number of tickets to the FAI.
tried to escort them out, at which time more violence broke out. The Gardai were slow to reach the area where the rioters were, and there was some confusion as to the exact location of the English fans between the Gardai and the stewards. Twenty people were injured during the rioting, and forty were arrested.
. England manager Terry Venables
said "It was terrible. I have not got words strong enough to describe how we feel about this. There could be repercussions.", and Jack Charlton said "I have seen a lot in football but nothing like this. It is a disaster for Irish football but I didn't want the game abandoned because what do you do with 2,000 English fans running around the town? The English fans were being bombarded by some of their own And they brought out the worst in some of ours." The rioting brought into question England's hosting of Euro 1996, with Ireland's Sport Minister, Bernard Allen
saying "How can people from Ireland and from other countries go to England and expect to be safe watching matches in the presence of people like those who were here tonight?" The Garda handling of the match was criticised in the press when it was revealed that the Gardai had been informed of the plans of some of the English fans to cause trouble by the British National Criminal Intelligence Service
(NCIS). The decision to seat the English fans in an upper tier was also questioned in the press. The photographs of English fans giving the Nazi salute became internationally known as a hallmark for English football fans.
, Thomas Finlay
was appointed to investigate the events. He found that the rioting was entirely caused by the English fans without any provocation. Finlay reported that the Gardai had received intelligence that members of Combat 18 were intending to cause trouble, and that the rioting could have been avoided if the gardai had acted on the intelligence. The investigation found that the head of the NCIS had offered help to the Gardai in dealing with the hooligans, an offer which the Gardai refused. The segregation of the fans was also found to be insufficient, and this was found to be a contributory factor to the incident.
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
during a friendly football match between Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
stadium on 15 February 1995. The riot was caused by Combat 18
Combat 18
Combat 18 is a violent neo-Nazi organisation associated with Blood and Honour. It originated in the United Kingdom, but has since spread to other countries. Members of Combat 18 have been suspected in numerous deaths of immigrants, non-whites, and other C18 members...
and left twenty people injured. Combat 18's plans to cause trouble during the match was known by the British National Criminal Intelligence Service
National Criminal Intelligence Service
The National Criminal Intelligence Service was a United Kingdom policing agency set up as a separate body in April 1992 to centralise the gathering and distribution of intelligence on serious and organised criminal matters. NCIS was formed out of the National Drugs Intelligence Unit in the Home...
(NCIS), and this was communicated to the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
(Gardai). An inquiry into the events found that the events could have been avoided if the gardai had acted on the information from the NCIS.
Combat 18
Combat 18 is a violent, neo-Nazi organisation founded by Paul David Sargent. The group was founded in 1992 as a stewarding service for British National PartyBritish National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
(BNP) events. It later split from the BNP because Sargent felt that they were "too soft". Combat 18 has used football hooliganism
Football hooliganism
Football hooliganism, sometimes referred to by the British media as the English Disease, is unruly and destructive behaviour—such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation—by association football club fans...
as a recruiting ground, and has plotted to send parcel bombs to sports stars in mixed marriages.
Match
The last time England had played Ireland at Lansdowne Road was in November 1990, during the qualifying round of Euro 1992. After that match, there were clashes between some Irish and English fans and the Gardai on O'Connell StreetO'Connell Street
O'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare. It measures 49 m in width at its southern end, 46 m at the north, and is 500 m in length...
in Dublin. Before the 1995 friendly match, the Football Association of Ireland
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
(FAI) held talks with the Football Association (FA) to review security arrangements in order to avoid a similar episode. The FA was offered 4000 out of approximately 40,000 tickets for English fans.
As the National Anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
s of both sides were being played, there was some trouble, with some Irish fans jeering God Save The Queen
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
, and some English fans, including members of Combat 18, chanting "Sieg Heil", "no surrender to the IRA", "Ulster is British", and giving the Nazi salute
Nazi salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
as Amhrán na bhFiann
Amhrán na bhFiann
is the national anthem of Ireland. The music was composed by Peadar Kearney and Patrick Heeney, and the original English lyrics were authored by Kearney. It is sung in the Irish language translation made by Liam Ó Rinn. The song has three verses, but the national anthem consists of the chorus only...
was playing. The match began at 6:15pm, and after 21 minutes, David Kelly
David Kelly (footballer)
David Thomas Kelly is a retired footballer and former assistant manager of Nottingham Forest. As a child, Kelly suffered from Perthes Disease, but recovered to forge a long and successful career in professional football.-Playing career:Kelly turned out for Walsall, West Ham United, Leicester City,...
scored a goal for Ireland. When an English goal was disallowed, some of the English fans began throwing debris down into the lower stands, including parts of benches which they had ripped out earlier in the match. When this happened, the referee immediately stopped the game, and brought the players off the pitch. When Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
, the Irish manager, walked off the pitch, the mob shouted "Judas, Judas". The fans in the lower stands then spilled out onto the pitch in order to escape the missiles from the English fans. Some Irish fans had mistakenly been put into the area where the English fans were when the FA returned a number of tickets to the FAI.
Riot
After the teams left the pitch, the frequency of missiles intensified, and after twelve minutes, the game was called off, and the fans were evacuated, with the exception of 4,500 English fans, who were kept in the stadium until the Garda Public Order UnitGarda Public Order Unit
The Garda Public Order Unit is a unit of An Garda Síochána,Ireland's police force, that deals with public disorder, including riots and protests.-Tactics:...
tried to escort them out, at which time more violence broke out. The Gardai were slow to reach the area where the rioters were, and there was some confusion as to the exact location of the English fans between the Gardai and the stewards. Twenty people were injured during the rioting, and forty were arrested.
Reaction
The rioting was condemned on both sides of the Irish SeaIrish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
. England manager Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
said "It was terrible. I have not got words strong enough to describe how we feel about this. There could be repercussions.", and Jack Charlton said "I have seen a lot in football but nothing like this. It is a disaster for Irish football but I didn't want the game abandoned because what do you do with 2,000 English fans running around the town? The English fans were being bombarded by some of their own And they brought out the worst in some of ours." The rioting brought into question England's hosting of Euro 1996, with Ireland's Sport Minister, Bernard Allen
Bernard Allen (Irish politician)
Bernard Allen is a former Irish Fine Gael politician. He served as a Teachta Dála for the Cork North Central constituency from 1981 to 2011....
saying "How can people from Ireland and from other countries go to England and expect to be safe watching matches in the presence of people like those who were here tonight?" The Garda handling of the match was criticised in the press when it was revealed that the Gardai had been informed of the plans of some of the English fans to cause trouble by the British National Criminal Intelligence Service
National Criminal Intelligence Service
The National Criminal Intelligence Service was a United Kingdom policing agency set up as a separate body in April 1992 to centralise the gathering and distribution of intelligence on serious and organised criminal matters. NCIS was formed out of the National Drugs Intelligence Unit in the Home...
(NCIS). The decision to seat the English fans in an upper tier was also questioned in the press. The photographs of English fans giving the Nazi salute became internationally known as a hallmark for English football fans.
Investigation
After the questions were raised about the conduct of the Gardai, former Chief Justice of IrelandChief Justice of Ireland
The Chief Justice of Ireland is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland.Under Constitution of Ireland, the Chief Justice of Ireland also occupies several positions ex officio, these include;* A possible judge of the High Court....
, Thomas Finlay
Thomas Finlay (judge)
Thomas Aloysius Finlay is a former Irish Fine Gael politician and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He is the second son of Thomas Finlay, a politician and senior counsel whose career was cut short by his early death in 1932. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College, University College Dublin...
was appointed to investigate the events. He found that the rioting was entirely caused by the English fans without any provocation. Finlay reported that the Gardai had received intelligence that members of Combat 18 were intending to cause trouble, and that the rioting could have been avoided if the gardai had acted on the intelligence. The investigation found that the head of the NCIS had offered help to the Gardai in dealing with the hooligans, an offer which the Gardai refused. The segregation of the fans was also found to be insufficient, and this was found to be a contributory factor to the incident.