‘Fans are behaving themselves’ – BBC reporter PEPPER SPRAYED by police outside Champions League final amid fan chaos
A BBC reporter was PEPPER SPRAYED during the chaotic scenes that led to the Champions League Final being delayed.
Liverpool’s clash with Real Madrid was unable to kick-off as scheduled at 8pm after hundreds of fans struggled to get into the Stade De France.
Pepper spray was used by security on fans outside the Stade de France[/caption]There was chaos outside the ground with supporters held up when trying to enter the stadium.
ESPN report a build-up of supporters at perimeter points where tickets are checked and bags searched.
Because of that the authorities opened up the first control point to increase the flow of people and decrease crowding.
There are also reports of some gates being closed and Reds being directed towards a small Real Madrid entrance that quickly became blocked due to significant numbers of fans trying to get in.
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That caused large portions of the Liverpool end to remain empty minutes prior to kick-off, leading to the delay.
BBC reporter Nick Parrott was caught up in shocking incident, and he revealed that security used pepper spray during the chaos.
He said: “I’ve just been pepper sprayed for the first time in my life having been to matches regularly since 1994.
“I’ve been home and away and Champions League finals before and i’ve never been pepper sprayed before.
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“The gates have been opening and closing repeatedly over the past hour and a half but no-one has been going through.
“A few moments ago, the security staff on the other side advanced towards Liverpool fans and sprayed pepper spray.
“I have seen about ten fans try to climb over the fences but they weren’t all in Liverpool colours.
“Gate Z is currently open but there doesn’t seem to be any movement.
“I’ve never seen this sort of chaos at any football match I’ve ever been to in a personal capacity and quite frankly, I’m just utterly surprised.
“The Liverpool fans are behaving themselves and they’ve been trying to move back from these gates in order to try and get in but the authorities just seem to be not doing nothing.”
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The game was eventually able to get underway at 8:37pm with Uefa claiming it was “for security reasons”.
Originally, the governing body said the match was pushed back due to the “late arrival of fans.”
It was visibly clear in the build-up to the initial 8pm kick-off that Real Madrid’s section of the Stade de France was almost full.
But Liverpool’s end was nowhere near packed, with thousands of supporters left outside scrambling trying to get in.
Liverpool star Joel Matip’s brother Marvin and pregnant sister-in-law were forced to take refuge in a restaurant after ditching their attempt to get into the Stade de France.
He told Florian Plettenberg: “The organisation around and in the stadium is unworthy of a CL final!
“Using tear gas in areas with children and uninvolved fans is dangerous!”