Make chanting about tragedies and death at a football match a criminal offence

I call on the Government to make chanting, shouting, singing, and mocking about tragedies and death, at football matches, a hate crime.

There is no place for hate in football.

All chants about ALL tragedies and deaths must stop.

97 Liverpool Fans were unlawfully killed as a direct result of the failures and negligence of South Yorkshire Police force at Hillsborough.

Reports, investigations, and an inquest all concluded that Liverpool fans were not to blame.

The College of Policing and National Police Chiefs' Council acknowledge these failures.

Some rival football fans see those deaths and the suffering of survivors as football 'banter' and continue to chant about Hillsborough, and Heysel, at matches.

Make it a criminal offence.

The Government recognises the hurt and distress caused by abhorrent chanting, shouting and singing about tragedies and deaths at football matches. We know that these are highly sensitive and emotive issues and are clear that there is absolutely no place for this kind of behaviour at football matches.

We have a strong framework of public order and football-specific legislation in England and Wales that is designed to reduce the risk of disorder at football, underpinned by football banning orders (FBOs) which are designed to deter disorderly behaviours and prevent further offending.

Existing law can be used to prosecute offenders chanting or shouting about tragedies and death at football matches. The Public Order Act 1986 (POA) provides for situations where threatening or abusive language can meet the threshold for arrest and prosecution. Section 4A of the POA sets out that a person is guilty of an offence if, with intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress, they use threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, thereby causing that or another person harassment, alarm or distress. Section 5 of the POA sets out that a person is guilty of an offence if they use threatening or abusive words or behaviour, within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has provided guidance to policing on tragedy chanting and the application of the POA. The context of the language used to relate to tragedies and death is clearly important. Certain tragedies are widely known in football. Those engaging in tragedy chanting at football matches use words chosen plainly and deliberately, designed to reference the tragedies and have an impact on those listening. The CPS takes a robust approach to the prosecution of individuals who have used threatening or abusive language at football matches that meets the threshold for arrest and prosecution. Relevant sections of the POA have been used in such prosecutions.