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Fuming Aston Villa fans slam Crystal Palace and police over crowd trouble
FUMING Aston Villa fans slammed Crystal Palace and the police over the Selhurst Park crowd chaos.
Villa have launched their own probe into Saturday’s violence which saw fans clash with cops after Henri Lansbury’s last-gasp leveller was ruled out.
But Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust director Jonny Gould claims a Palace steward incited the travelling support with a V-sign gesture and then started fighting with them.
Gould also accuses a police officer of beating Villa followers with his truncheon and claims a fan broke an ankle.
He told SunSport: “This is the sort of policing English fans used to be on the end of on the continent in the 80s and 90s. For it to happen in the Premier League is totally unacceptable.
“A Crystal Palace steward goaded the fans with a two-fingered salute as he walked past and engaged with the fans with his fists when they shouted back.
“A policeman then drew his truncheon and started beating Villa fans at the front, 12 to 15 rows from where I was sat.
“Another supporter told me a steward attacked their daughter's mate, who is about 19, by pushing her over.
“The behaviour from police and stewards was off the scale. Palace must not treat away supporters like this and it must not continue.
“One fan appears to have broken his ankle.”
Gould has been in contact with Villa and the club have asked him to direct fans to their operations manager Lee Preece.
He has also urged Villa’s West Midlands Police Liaison to “deal with The Met to ensure this kind of policing never happens again”.
Gould added: “The refereeing decisions of Kevin Friend throughout the match had created irritation among the fans and the disallowed goal at the end added to the anger.
“There were V-signs from fans and, although that is not an excuse and I wish fans would not do that, it was nothing you don’t see all the time.
“These were serious incidents and the club are very concerned.”
The Metropolitan Police said there was a “small amount of disorder” involving away supporters which “required steward and police intervention.”
One fan was arrested and the police have launched an investigation.
