Boston Globe columnist calls Hillsborough “a riot”

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UPDATE : The Boston Globe issued a “Correction” however they never appologised
Correction: Because of a reporting error, Alex Beam’s column on Tuesday in the “g” section mischaracterized the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster involving Liverpool soccer fans as a “riot.” The official investigation into the disaster, which cost 96 lives, placed the blame primarily on poor crowd control and inadequate stadium design.

An article published in today’s Boston Globe has enraged Liverpool supporters around the world.

Columnist Alex Beam (email: beam@globe.com)  called Hillsborough a riot, in article entitled “Hardball in Liverpool”. The article mostly speaks of NESV’s purchase of Liverpool however I don’t know what this guy’s problem is as he goes into a whole rant in which he calls us insane amongst other things.

“None of those sane people are in Liverpool, however. Even by the deranged standards of European soccer, Red fans are totally bonkers. Their excitable Internet fan sites are still agonizing over a 21-year-old soccer riot that killed 96 people.”

Full Article http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2010/12/07/alex_beam_hardball_in_liverpool/

Mr. Beam (No relation to Jack) obviously is clueless and very insensitive with his remarks about Hillsborough and deserves to be educated.

Please email letter@globe.com send complaints on his disgusting article, we want full apology or him sacked.

The phone number is 617-929-3309 for those who want their voices heard, please keep it civil.

Justice for the 96

-Antoine
on Twitter @empireofthekop

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18 Comments

  1. A copy of the e-mail i sent

    Dear Mr Beam

    I’m sure in the states you a highly respected journalist back home, however you seem to have made a few key mistakes in your recent article about liverpool football club, firstly questioning the sanity of our clubs supporters. Sport in Liverpool is held in very high esteem the club has a rich history and our passion is not looked down on by those in the sport but celebrated by other fans and players alike. Football is an international sport, the fans are by far the most dedicated fans on earth, and perhaps you should look at how that passion can unite people rather than focus on the intensity of it, as was seen in the world cup in South Africa.

    Secondly I simply find it disgusting how you have assumed after what seems like doing very little research, that you assume that the events at Hillsborough were a riot, and that you seem to think that the lives of those 96 people are not worth mourning over even after these 21 years, it is not being excitable it’s being respectable to the fans who went to see their team play that day and never returned. The youngest of the victims was a 10 year old boy, relation to now Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who says “I play for Jon-Paul”. I expect that you wish for us to stop mourning like nothing happened, i’m sorry but i’m sure you’ll never forget 9/11 but we’ll never forget Hillsborough. Justice for the 96

    Yours Faithfully Amrik Rana

  2. To any American sports fan not fluent in the lexicon of European sports Hillsborough would be considered a “soccer riot.” It doesn’t necessarily imply malicious intent. And don’t make too much of the “sanity” comment… it was meant as a compliment.

  3. As of today (December 7th), the Boston Globe has already issued a correction re. the foregoing, as follows:

    Hardballl in Liverpool
    New American owners might find these soccer fans a pretty tough crowd
    By Alex Beam
    Globe Columnist / December 7, 2010

    “Correction: Because of a reporting error, Alex Beam’s column on Tuesday in the “g” section mischaracterized the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster involving Liverpool soccer fans as a “riot.” The official investigation into the disaster, which cost 96 lives, placed the blame primarily on poor crowd control and inadequate stadium design.”

  4. I see it’s changed the word “riot” to “stadium disaster” but that frankly seems more repugnant. No apology so far.

    This is the same paper that published a similar and equally untruthful article about the Ibrox Disaster. They said it was caused by tensions between fans. I’ve never known anyone or any paper to suggest that. Common misconception is that the Rangers fans ran back after hearing the first goal and/or equaliser. The Fatal Accident Inquiry found the evidence to be that it started some minutes after the final whistle and all fans were heading in same direction.

    That poor excuse of a paper issued an apology for that, and it’s the least it can do to do the same here.

    JFT96
    RIP

    Vinny

  5. I believe there’s someone or something behind his back, otherwise it’d be very stupid to offend this kind of sensitive issue since he’s thousands miles away.

  6. written several emails, none strongly worded, ignorance is something we should treat, not persecute. however, i have seen the “amended” version and it does little more to alleviate the anger. insult us if you will, but the 96 who lay dead for this club deserve respect, and I’m willing to bet there’s at least a stadium full of people who’re willing to fight tooth and nail for the tragically dead’s right to be respected. and i’m also willing to bet there’s millions of others worldwide who’d stand along side them. JUSTICE FOR THE 96, THEY’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

  7. only an american could comment on the hillsborough disasteras being a riot the same paper reported the ibrox disaster they tried to blame the fans there, id like to ask them how they reported the deaths of our servicemen by an american fighter plane probably “friendly fire”and the gulf war”friendly fire accidents” and no doubt afghanistan, bollocks get your facts right…

  8. The globe and Beam need to take a good hard look at themselves, Malicious, vile articles such as these are designed not to inform but to push sales of the rag. Surely anyone ,editors,subs etc with any sense would realise the reaction they would recieve from all LFC fans.
    Its time idiots such as Beam get educated ,sack the sod .
    He is doing the globe more harm than good .

    JFT96 YNWA

  9. Its the sentiments of this story that shocks me changing “riot” to “disaster” doesn’t make it much better he seems to be a suggesting we should forget and move on.

  10. Mr Beam is an idiot. He obviously published an article with very little research or work (lazy). Being an American that was raised on (and loves) English football, I am embarrassed. Unfortunately, most American journalists believe that they are more enlighten and intelligent than their audience. The truth is that they are arrogant elitist that have no clue about most of the things they write about.

  11. “YOU are an absolute disgrace for writing that article! You are absolutely clueless. Do not write about something you have no knowledge over, you insensitive egotistic idiot

    JUSTICE FOR THE 96”

  12. I am a 38 year old United fan and I have emailed this to letter@globe.com

    Saturday 15th April 1989. Its a date that still sends shivers down my spine. I know where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news. Many, many people are the same in this country. Of course, the early news that filtered through that day, was of something that seemed the normal for that period of time in the United Kingdom. Two teams. A football match. Rivalry. Hooliganism. Except these fans weren’t rivals. These were fans of two football teams, with similar traditions and similar ideas on how football should be played. Added to this, was the fact that this was no ordinary game. It was a showpiece. An FA Cup semi final. One step from Wembley and a final, the stuff that young boys grow up thinking they want to actually play in. Those that don’t make it in the profession, will be happy just to attend one in their lifetime!

    As a Manchester United fan, arch rivals to Liverpool, I could understand the ridiculousness of Mr. Beam’s article, if I didn’t know it was so factually incorrect. There is no love lost between my team and that lot from the other end of the East Lancs Road. Certainly had it been Liverpool versus Manchester United, the game would have had the local constabulary more than a little worried.

    But Mr. Beam’s article is the single most laziest piece of journalism I have ever read. And there can be no excuse. Not in this technological age. Not when there must be thousands, upon thousands of entries that refer to what happened on that fateful afternoon on the internet. I have read that Mr. Beam seeks to write such articles in an attempt to provoke. This may be hearsay, but I doubt it and as I have said already, there can be no excuse for such provocation.

    If Mr. Beam had bothered to engage his brain before he started to write, he would have researched his story and come to the conclusion that his, was certainly not the best angle to take on a story surrounding Liverpool Football Club. Especially when his only real interest, is that he unfortunately shares the same nationality as the current owner!

    I would suggest Mr. Beam sticks to a subject he has a better understanding of. The World Series (involving two teams from the same country) for instance. Leave football, not saw-cer, to the people that have grown up with the sport and who have a better education of this most fantastic of sports!

    I would hope that the editor forces an apology from Mr. Beam prior to terminating his contract of course.

  13. @Amrik Rana

    “I’m sure you’ll never forget 9/11 but we’ll never forget Hillsborough.”

    Can anyone imagine the outcry if someone from this country wrote a similar piece about 9/11 and they got to hear about it?

    My goodness, you would be picked up by the men in black faster than you can type the word “extradition.” You only have to see how they are going after the Wikileaks guy to be able to see what reaction you would have!

    Sadly, what can you expect from inhabitants of a country that know very little of what goes on beyond their own backyard (and I mean there own town, not USA).

  14. Mr. Beam you deserve nothing but a hand full of shit for your colum. You and your crew are nothing but a BIG FOOL. If your mother dies acidentally in a collaped building and then one BIG FOOL like you (Beam) now writes telling the world that your mother died as a result of a riot between your father and mother how will you feel. In shot what were you thinking when u wrote the NON-SENSE, i guess thinking the whole world will clap for you. Again you are nothing but a very BIG FOOL.

  15. K_stand_red Spot on mate. I would ever denegrate myself to saying anything about 9/11 that could even in the slightest be viewed as hurtful to the victims of that dreadful day, a day I remember UEFA insisted on all the CL games (including ours, Ive never felt so empty at a match) going ahead, which was a disgrace. The fact that the Boston Globe printed this, whilst not knowing the political leanings of the paper it still represents a city that leans heavily Democratic, is hugely worrying for me. Do we still live in an age where people can get away with pure barefaced lies? Obviously they believe so or they are an example why many (wrongly in my opinion) view America and Americans as mainly stupid. The article is a disgrace and I’d urge our owners to take a stand and confront the Globe on this. To me nothing in our club is as precious as the memory of the 96. They should never be forgotten, their reputation should always be defended and for the sake of all we should never give up on demanding justice for them. May they rest in peace.
    YNWA

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