Pigs say stay at home.
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The chief constable of Merseyside police has warned Liverpool fans that his officers “will take action” should crowds gather outside Anfield for the
Premier League trophy presentation on Wednesday.
Jordan Henderson will receive the league title at a special ceremony on the Kop following Liverpool’s final home game against Chelsea. The club and local authorities are anxious to avoid a repeat of the scenes that greeted
Liverpool’s confirmation as champions on 25 June, when thousands descended on Anfield to celebrate and police were forced to close roads around the stadium. Serious disturbances
in the city centre on the Friday night resulted in 20 arrests.
Jürgen Klopp’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday was opened by the chief constable, Andy Cooke, who appealed for supporters to adhere to social-distancing measures while watching the ceremony and warned there will be consequences for those who flout the rules.
Cooke said: “We will have a full policing operation in place at the ground and surrounding areas tomorrow night and my officers will take action if people fail to adhere to social-distancing regulations and potentially put other members of the public at risk.
“Both the club and the city council have said there’ll be a celebration when it’s safe to do so. We understand the desire to celebrate and show the team our appreciation and have a massive party, but now is not the time for celebration. We’ve waited 30 years, so a few more months isn’t too much to ask.
“Too many people have lost their lives already, so please let’s work together to keep our families, friends and neighbours safe. Please listen to LFC, listen to Mr Klopp and the players, and trust them when they say that the celebration will come. That day really is not tomorrow.”
Klopp claimed the celebrations that followed
Leeds’s promotion to the Premier League at the weekend – when one police officer was seriously injured and an estimated 7,000 fans gathered in the city centre – needed to be avoided in Liverpool on Wednesday.
The
Liverpool manager said: “I understand it’s a tricky situation. People will probably say now after what happened with Leeds, which was a big success as well and congratulations to them, but you see the pictures from there and think: ‘Wow, that is strange.’ You don’t want to say it is completely wrong but it is wrong. We cannot excuse one wrong thing with another wrong thing, saying: ‘But they did it so we’ll do it.’ That’s not how we can do it.
“The situation is really different to all situations we have ever faced, longer back than the last 30 years, and I can promise we will have the party that everybody deserves at an appropriate time – pretty much the first possibility we will use it. But we can do it only if everybody behaves appropriately.
“In the stadium we are in a safe place so watch the pictures, it will be as emotional as possible, much more than we thought would have been possible a few months ago. Now we have it and we should do the right thing again. I can only ask you for exactly that.
“I understand it is a personal challenge but as a club we had bigger challenges in the past. Stay at home, celebrate there with your families or at a second house. Keep it in your mind that we will be together when it is possible again.”[/article]
