Hull City at Lokeren trouble: Belgian police statement

Lokeren police have responded to criticism at the way they handled the game between Sporting Lokeren and Hull City last night. Tigers fans have criticised the police for "kettling" them and forcing them to pass a pub used by Lokeren supporters, where they were pelted with bottles. Hull City and Lokeren fans who have spoken to the Mail made it clear they did not believe Tigers supporters had provoked the trouble. The police statement, released this afternoon, fails to address why fans were marched by police past the Mierennest pub, which Hull City had specifically told supporters to avoid. Instead, it appears to blame "hardcore" British and Dutch fans for provoking the incident. Rudi De Clercq, of Lokeren Police Department, said: "A total of 1 236 tickets were sold to Hull supporters. These supporters travelled to Belgium in various ways, mainly by train, either coming from Ghent or Antwerp. "The first supporters arrived at about 11am. A VIP village was built at the market place, selling snacks and drinks. "About a thousand Hull supporters assembled there and fraternised with the Lokeren supporters before the match began. "Police escorted the Hull supporters to the stadium at around 7.15pm. Members of both supporter groups provoked each other briefly along the route. "At the stadium and during the game everything ran smoothly. "The plan was to escort the Hull supporters to the train station after the game, so that they could catch the last trains to Ghent and Antwerp. "We looked up the timetable beforehand and made arrangements for higher capacity trains. "When the escort passed by a local pub, the group was pelted with bottles from an enclosed patio. "Some of the hardcore Hull supporters, around 50 people, reinforced with Dutch supporters, were involved in this provocation.

@hulldailymail there were a number of Non city fans from Belgium mixed in with the crowd being escorted. These were the trouble causers

— Rich Fussey (@richfussey) August 22, 2014

"After about fifteen minutes peace returned and the escort went on its way. After this, no further problems occurred. Hull supporters managed to catch the trains as planned. "Three British and two Belgian supporters were put in administrative detention, mainly for disturbing public order and public intoxication. "Federal police evidence teams filmed the riots as clearly as possible. Moreover, our football spotters were deployed, reinforced with Humberside police colleagues. "In the following days we will collect evidence which will allow us to identify and punish the troublemakers." Me De Clercq insists a lot of money has been spent on protecting public safety at football matches. He said: "Lokeren Police invests strongly in fighting hooliganism. A high number of people, at the moment 61, who are banned from the stadium. "We regret that, despite the efforts of both football clubs and police forces, the hard core supporters continue to spoil the atmosphere, at the expense of both clubs and cities, but mostly at the expense of the other supporters who just want to have fun at a football match." Andy Dalton, co-editor of the Amber Nectar fanzine, said: "The police statement is nonsense. The problems lasted a couple of minutes, and although it wasn't nice, the overall experience was brilliant and the Lokeren fans were friendly and welcoming. "There were no problems before the game. Fans were singing and chatting away and mixing together for hours before the game. "After the game we were kettled in for about 15 minutes after the match, before being taken on a route which was not secured by the police." Mr Dalton said the police attempt to blame "hardcore" Hull supporters was "a load of rubbish". He added: "We were all there to enjoy the game. "The police deserve a large degree of culpability for walking us down an unsecured route. "It was a tiny handful of idiots who were throwing things and when that started the police seemed to freeze and panic." Dozens of Lokeren fans have contacted the Mail to express their sadness at the events of last night. One supporter, Hans De Smedt, said: "Lokeren fans are as much gutted with the incidents as Tigers fans. "I passed the pub 'Mierennest' when I left the ground immediately after the game and I saw 15 to 20 hooligans standing next to the pub, singing, looking for trouble and surrounded by cops. "Most of these fans aren't even allowed on the ground anymore, but they team up before every major game to cause trouble, mostly backed by Dutch NAC Breda fans. So it was quite clear what was going to happen if the Hull City fans passed that pub." Mr De Smedt said an alternative route away from the ground could have been arranged by the police. He said: "Why on earth the police decided to (take Hull City fans that way), knowing and seeing the hooligans were outside, with bottles and glasses within reach - and with so many spotters present - is beyond me. "Hoping for a safe return leg, I wish you all the best." Meanwhile, the BBC's Phillip Norton said he had spoken to the deputy mayor of Lokeren, who confirmed banned Lokeren supporters were inside the Mierennest pub and said lessons would be learned.More to follow.