WYP Breakthrough

Not #mufc realted, but I just got hold of emails from and to West Yorks Police setting out how they placed draconian measures on Hull fans..

...before a match earlier this year. They wanted to save £44k expenditure so made the decision 2 months before the game with no negotiation.

WYP circulated a document called 'Hull threat' which seemingly makes out Hull fans to be trouble. Hull reps provided evidence that was lies.

This is abysmal stuff. One copper telling another 'not to negotiate (the issue) but simply explain (the police's position'.

And when Hull's reps defended themselves, WYP spent a lot of time trawling through records specifically to contradict Hull.

And then the officers pat each other onthe back for forcing Huddersfield into a corner, with one officer emailing a "well played" to another

It's get better: A week after WYP imposed the measures, they express surprise - almost shock - that the media wants hold them to account.

The resulting statement is not true: The decision was not taken as a result of negotion. WYP made it and said there would be no compromise.

Then on February 18, WYP acknowledged there has been "widespread resentment" of their decision.

IA WYP press officer recommending a senior officer snub the BBC's interview request in revenge for a BBC reporter "ambushing" him.

The senior officer should do the interview with Calendar television instead, the press officer recommends.

WYP seem consistently surprised by how articulate and educated fans seem in written correspondence. They seem to be on the back foot a lot.

On Jan 17, cost of policing HTFC v HCFC with no resrictions was £44k. By Feb 19 it was £30k. Statistical hopscotch, WYP style.

Generally, the tone of WYP officers towards HTFC staff seems overly aggressive and not very friendly at all.

There's an extremely patronising line from a WYP officer who spins the line that WY residents were being asked to pay extra police bill....

..while "the club (HTFC) & the FA will make more money". He implies HTFC had a say, when they were forced into a corner by Sky, FA and WYP.

his report opens a massive can of worms: Disabled fans were exempt from restrictions, presumably as there was no evidence they would....

cause trouble. So what proves you DO pose a danger? A criminal record? So, shouldn't all fans without CRs be free to make own way to game?

Interestingly, throughout this document, there is absolutely no evidence of "intelligence" that HCFC fans would cause trouble at this game.

On Feb 19, a HTFC wrote to WYP: "We've come under increasing pressure from our supporters, HCFC fans and the press" about the restrictions.

The HTFC official makes it clear that, if they hadn't've allowed the 17:20 kick off, HTFC could have been docked points by the FA.

So HTFC were due to put out a very strongly worded statement, but then toned it down after speaking with WYP.

In fact, Supt Ged McManus expressed his "extreme disappointment" at the tone of the proposed HTFC press release.

It seems HTFC didn't realise the strength of reaction there would be. I don't blame them - they had no choice but to cooperate with WYP.

On February 20, a collection of press cuttings on the controversy was circulated among officers, who approved of a favourable editorial.

At the time, fans' groups dismissed the editorial in question as overly critical of law-abiding fans made out to be thugs.

WYP temporary dep ch con Jawaid Akhtar said: "Yorkshire Post editorial is balanced & highlights the problems where it belongs i.e. the fans"

Among the emails is a superb letter addressed to Hull Daily Mail which says: "You wouldn't want a team from WYP to compete on Mastermind."

An officer based at Kirklees Police Station monitored forums, youTube, Twitter to monitor fans' reaction to the fan restrictions and...

...compiled a dossier for senior officers. This was a request from Supt Ged McManus whose colleague said: "Can you please view youTube and..

"..and other sites in relation to the behaviour of HCFC fans at matches, there are clips of their activity at recent games. Can you please..

"...establish the date, teams involved and press reporting of the event." A deadline for this 'research' is given.

So basically, WYP were so short of 'intelligence' about HCFC fans, they had to watch youTube to gather it.

You have to wonder what was goinng through Supt McManus's mind as Feb went on. He seems to be panicking by massive biteback by fans.

One officer compiled a list of 308 Facebook comments about WYP and the match. Bear in mind you can't copu and paste Facebook comments, how..

..much time did s/he spend on this? Let's not forget, this is primarily an issue of the cost of policing.

In the Facebook document, you can clearly see named individuals. How did WYP use the information about them?

On Feb 22, WYP's press office compiled an 'if asked' statement. This is what authorities do when they don't want to proactively inform the..

...media about something, but are obliged to tell them if asked. The statement concedes ground, indicating they were ready to compromise.

 

I've requested copies, I'll post a summary of anything else that stands out.