[quote]That's what we have a criminal justice system for[/quote]

Any news if the spitting, throwing Arsenal "fans" or the Burnley coin thrower have been arrested yet?

TW, in all seriousness, the CJ system over here moves slower than a tortoise. It may actually be weeks before any arrests are made, even if there are arrests.

My guess is that unless a person was hit by the coin and comes forward to lodge an individual complaint that nothing will be done by the police (just as no criminal charges were levied against Carragher in the Arsenal incident). I'm not sure that the FA can ban Drogba since he received a yellow card for the incident.

[quote]the CJ system over here moves slower than a tortoise[/quote]

you have never saw mine go then!!!

There was a statement released by Arsenal I believe which stated they couldn't find the culprits on the CCTV footage.

I read it the other day online will try and find it again and post.

[quote]It may actually be weeks before any arrests are made, even if there are arrests.[/quote]

There won't be arrests. So you can hardly blame people for retaliating.

Rather like that Spurs idiot that attacked Lampard. They should have given him a hiding, as no charges were brought.

[quote]So you can hardly blame people for retaliating.[/quote]

I can blame them for retaliating. We have laws so that we don't need to turn to vigilantism.

But I also blame the clubs and the police for failure to vigorously prosecute these types of actions. Arsenal's CCTV cameras can pick up whether someone has shaved that day so it is asking us to believe in the tooth fairies when they say that they couldn't locate/identify the culprits. The culprits can be traced back to certain seats and the persons who were sitting in those seats can be investigated.

[quote]The culprits can be traced back to certain seats and the persons who were sitting in those seats can be investigated.[/quote]

Exactly, one rule for club level and all that...

If the players aren't safe, its outrageous if they are punished for retaliating.

Hypothetical then -- if they can't locate the specific thrower, should they ban the entire area and let the supporters who didn't indulge in cowardly behaviour sort it with those that did?

[quote]Arsenal's CCTV cameras can pick up whether someone has shaved that day so it is asking us to believe in the tooth fairies when they say that they couldn't locate/identify the culprits. The culprits can be traced back to certain seats and the persons who were sitting in those seats can be investigated.[/quote]

Looks like it's not that straight forward.


Official statement from Arsenals stadium manager.

During the course of the second half of our match against Everton on Saturday 18th October, Arsenal stewards received a number of complaints from Everton supporters, who were sat in the visitors section in the Lower Tier at the south end of the stadium, alleging that they were being spat on from above and also being hit by objects.

Our stadium closed circuit television cameras were immediately trained on the specific areas in and above the visitors section. Arsenal stewards were also immediately deployed into both the Club Level and Upper Tier which are situated immediately above the visitors section. The Arsenal stewards in these areas patrolled the front rows of both Club Level and the Upper Tier for some time, but no culprits were identified.

Towards the end of the second half of the match, an incident occurred close to the segregation line which separates the Arsenal and visiting supporters. CCTV footage shows two people in the Everton section having an altercation with an Arsenal steward. This was followed by more people in the Everton section approaching the incident. Police and more stewards then arrived and calm was restored very quickly.

A complete review of all CCTV footage from this match has taken place and no-one can be identified as spitting. However, the footage clearly shows a number of objects being thrown from Club Level and the Upper Tier into the Everton section. The footage also shows objects being thrown from the Everton section towards the Arsenal sections in Club Level and Upper Tier, and also towards the Arsenal section in the Lower Tier.

Two incidents also show people in the Everton section attempting to throw objects up to Club Level, but the objects falling back into the Everton section.

However, although Arsenal stewards were deployed at the time, it is extremely difficult to identify the exact individuals who are throwing objects, as they are standing or sitting in a very large group. Therefore, unfortunately no culprits have been identified.

CCTV footage and reports from stewards indicate that approximately six objects in total were thrown. It is difficult to specify the objects, but they appear to be predominantly sweets and match programmes.

All CCTV footage has been forwarded to the Metropolitan Police for further investigation, in the hope that some culprits can be identified.

Anyone found guilty of spitting or throwing objects at Emirates Stadium will be immediately ejected and banned from the stadium and also risk arrest. Arsenal Members found guilty of this intolerable behaviour will have their membership cancelled.

Arsenal Football Club will not tolerate such anti-social behaviour at Emirates Stadium and a strict monitoring process will be implemented for our forthcoming matches in order to identify any potential culprits.


Yours Sincerely
John Beattie
Stadium Manager

If a supporter throws anything in a ground they will be removed from the ground and could be subject to arrest and a banning order.

Will the same apply to drogba?

[quote]If a supporter throws anything in a ground they will be removed from the ground and could be subject to arrest and a banning order.

Will the same apply to drogba?[/quote]

But they never are. IMO if the supporter is found and punished, Drogba can be. If not, its unfair to punish Drogba.

[quote]But they never are. IMO if the supporter is found and punished, Drogba can be. If not, its unfair to punish Drogba.[/quote]

Using that logic, then we should only be punishing the last person found in any chain of criminal activities. Unless the thief can be found, the fence should be given a 'get-out-of-jail-free' card....

Unfortunately for Drogba, he was silly enough to throw it back and even he has admitted that it was wrong. Fortunately for Drogba, he will not, in all likelihood, be prosecuted criminally and at most will have to serve an FA ban, if that is even forthcoming.

[quote]Using that logic, then we should only be punishing the last person found in any chain of criminal activities. Unless the thief can be found, the fence should be given a 'get-out-of-jail-free' card....[/quote]

No i'm more talking about cases where its a retaliation. Someone burgles your house, you attack them. The person who's house gets burgled is prosecuted, the thief gets away with it. Great.

Edited due to my first example being rubbish LOL!

Errr... normally there wouldn't be any charges because there wouldn't be any complaintant if they didn't find the person who had burgled the house and then been pummeled for it. *Both* parties would be charged.

Are we talking about the same CJS that couldnt prosecute Mike Ashley for downing a pint in the stands (even though he was caught on CCTV AND National TV) because no police actually witnessed him doing it?