Sorry to intrude only I recall some on here asking to be kept informed about the protests for the West Yorkshire Police bubble trip for the Huddersfield Town v Hull City game on the Bank Holiday Saturday. I know you get a bit of this yourselves.
In short, despite us having 0 arrests for drunkenness and no real history with Huddersfield, WYP decided to make the game an early kick off for fear of some of us having the temerity to drink beer in pubs.
Unfortunately Huddersfield, having been refused permission by WYP to move the games against you and Leeds for Sky HAD to show our game as an evening kick off or face punishment from the FL.
WYP initially totally refused, but then relented and insisted on a bubble trip from Hull, 1000 tickets and maximum price. An initial protest saw this relented to 1500 tickets and we can make our own way to Hartshead moor Services to get them if we want, but then from there we have to use their bus for which we have to pay extra on top.
We're still protesting. Fans are still going to various places all over West Yorkshire to watch the game in pubs, so if we're really a risk, Police will still need to be deployed, if they're not deployed it proves there was never a risk.
A group of fans marched to the stadium last home game to generate some more media coverage.
A 15 year old fan has had legal aid approved to mount a legal challenge.
A number of local and other MP's are asking questions in the house.
The Football Supporters Federation is giving us full backing.
The Huddersfield Town fans are also campaigning at a number of different levels including joining us in the pubs and some giving their tickets to City fans.
And for me, most importantly, the Club have just released the following statement.
Hull Cityâs away game with Huddersfield Town on Saturday 30th March has been given the security categorisation of C+IR by West Yorkshire Police. This is the highest possible security categorisation, and, despite Hull City having no record of fan trouble or disorder, West Yorkshire Police have placed draconian restrictions on the freedom of our fans who wish to travel to the match in their usual way.
Since the imposition of this unprecedented level of security categorisation, we have been endeavouring to remove, or at least reduce, the categorisation which places an unpalatable slur upon the club, its fans and its home city. During this process we have been in close consultation with the Football Supportersâ Federation, who represent football fans across the United Kingdom. The result of these efforts has been a loosening of the travel restrictions but there has been no amendment of the security categorisation.
As a consequence Hull City has, as a club, been left to reflect upon both the feelings of its own supporters and the implications for away fans in general. We have compared the policies of forces such as West Midlands Police with West Yorkshire Police, who operate under the same national ACPO and FA guidelines, yet apply them in diametrically opposing manners.
In listening to fans we recognise, and empathise with, the deep sense of grievance over West Yorkshire Policeâs effective criminalisation of Hull City supporters. Therefore whilst reluctantly accepting the increase in ticket allocation and slight reduction in travel restrictions as the most practical solution for fans wishing to attend the match, we have also decided to support a protest march organised by the Football Supportersâ Federation, aimed at highlighting the treatment of away football fans.
The march from Huddersfield Town Centre to Huddersfield Townâs John Smithâs Stadium is planned to begin at 2:30pm, arriving at the stadium at 3:00pm at which time the march banner will be handed over to Hull City supporters attending the match. The banner will then be displayed across the empty seats in the away end.
In taking this twin-track approach Hull City is addressing the broad range of opinion amongst its fans, which allows for a freedom of choice to protest WYPâs security categorisation through the march, a boycott or match attendance.
The key message that both the Football Supportersâ Federation and Hull City are seeking to highlight is that football is a spectator sport that is made complete by the presence of fans, home and away, with singing, banter, rivalry and a little rough humour; all of which combines with the match itself to create the heady cocktail of atmosphere that gives fans a great day out. Without fans, football stands at risk of becoming a dry, sterile affair lacking such emotion and passion that supporters so enthusiastically provide.
At the same time Hull City announces the formation of its Fansâ Liaison & Advisory Group (FLAG), which will engage with fans to bring added life and spectacle to the KC Stadium on match days and allow fans a presence and voice in shaping the match day experience. FLAGâs first meeting took place on Friday 15th March and will convene on a regular basis.
In short, despite us having 0 arrests for drunkenness and no real history with Huddersfield, WYP decided to make the game an early kick off for fear of some of us having the temerity to drink beer in pubs.
Unfortunately Huddersfield, having been refused permission by WYP to move the games against you and Leeds for Sky HAD to show our game as an evening kick off or face punishment from the FL.
WYP initially totally refused, but then relented and insisted on a bubble trip from Hull, 1000 tickets and maximum price. An initial protest saw this relented to 1500 tickets and we can make our own way to Hartshead moor Services to get them if we want, but then from there we have to use their bus for which we have to pay extra on top.
We're still protesting. Fans are still going to various places all over West Yorkshire to watch the game in pubs, so if we're really a risk, Police will still need to be deployed, if they're not deployed it proves there was never a risk.
A group of fans marched to the stadium last home game to generate some more media coverage.
A 15 year old fan has had legal aid approved to mount a legal challenge.
A number of local and other MP's are asking questions in the house.
The Football Supporters Federation is giving us full backing.
The Huddersfield Town fans are also campaigning at a number of different levels including joining us in the pubs and some giving their tickets to City fans.
And for me, most importantly, the Club have just released the following statement.
Hull Cityâs away game with Huddersfield Town on Saturday 30th March has been given the security categorisation of C+IR by West Yorkshire Police. This is the highest possible security categorisation, and, despite Hull City having no record of fan trouble or disorder, West Yorkshire Police have placed draconian restrictions on the freedom of our fans who wish to travel to the match in their usual way.
Since the imposition of this unprecedented level of security categorisation, we have been endeavouring to remove, or at least reduce, the categorisation which places an unpalatable slur upon the club, its fans and its home city. During this process we have been in close consultation with the Football Supportersâ Federation, who represent football fans across the United Kingdom. The result of these efforts has been a loosening of the travel restrictions but there has been no amendment of the security categorisation.
As a consequence Hull City has, as a club, been left to reflect upon both the feelings of its own supporters and the implications for away fans in general. We have compared the policies of forces such as West Midlands Police with West Yorkshire Police, who operate under the same national ACPO and FA guidelines, yet apply them in diametrically opposing manners.
In listening to fans we recognise, and empathise with, the deep sense of grievance over West Yorkshire Policeâs effective criminalisation of Hull City supporters. Therefore whilst reluctantly accepting the increase in ticket allocation and slight reduction in travel restrictions as the most practical solution for fans wishing to attend the match, we have also decided to support a protest march organised by the Football Supportersâ Federation, aimed at highlighting the treatment of away football fans.
The march from Huddersfield Town Centre to Huddersfield Townâs John Smithâs Stadium is planned to begin at 2:30pm, arriving at the stadium at 3:00pm at which time the march banner will be handed over to Hull City supporters attending the match. The banner will then be displayed across the empty seats in the away end.
In taking this twin-track approach Hull City is addressing the broad range of opinion amongst its fans, which allows for a freedom of choice to protest WYPâs security categorisation through the march, a boycott or match attendance.
The key message that both the Football Supportersâ Federation and Hull City are seeking to highlight is that football is a spectator sport that is made complete by the presence of fans, home and away, with singing, banter, rivalry and a little rough humour; all of which combines with the match itself to create the heady cocktail of atmosphere that gives fans a great day out. Without fans, football stands at risk of becoming a dry, sterile affair lacking such emotion and passion that supporters so enthusiastically provide.
At the same time Hull City announces the formation of its Fansâ Liaison & Advisory Group (FLAG), which will engage with fans to bring added life and spectacle to the KC Stadium on match days and allow fans a presence and voice in shaping the match day experience. FLAGâs first meeting took place on Friday 15th March and will convene on a regular basis.
From where we hand the banner for fans to take it to the service station, so that they can then bring it all the way back to the stadium. 
)
