VARIOUS MEDIA: COVID-19 lockdown might be blamed for increase in violence by fans in English football

Press/Media: Expert comment

Period7 Feb 2022 → 8 Feb 2022

Media coverage

1

Media coverage

  • TitleCOVID-19 lockdown might be blamed for increase in violence by fans in English football
    Media name/outletXinhua
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryChina
    Date8/02/22
    DescriptionSenior law lecturer Professor Geoff Pearson is an expert at the University of Manchester in football crowd disorder. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Pearson said there are indicators of a nationwide increase in levels of criminality, disorder, and anti-social behavior in domestic football in England and Wales.

    "Arrest statistics are notoriously unreliable as indicators of levels of criminality, and usually tell us as much about police priorities and resources as they do crime, but despite these reservations, I think the statistics illustrate at least a temporary uptick in incidents of (mainly low-level) disorder and anti-social behavior. That's a view shared by my police officers, safety officers, and fan representatives that I work with," he said.
    URLwww.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2022-02/08/content_78035056.htm
    PersonsGeoff Pearson

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitlePremier League and EFL start urgent review of fan behaviour after latest disorder
    Media name/outletThe Telegraph
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date7/02/22
    DescriptionLockdown, it would seem, has shifted the goalposts, although not simply by potentially fostering greater pent-up anger and division. According to Prof Geoff Pearson, a senior lecturer in law at the University of Manchester, the abrupt 18-month break in football crowds was also the inevitable catalyst for important changes in both the make-up of fans and those paid to uphold public order.

    “I’m hearing the same things from police, fan representatives and those working in stadium security,” said Prof Pearson.

    “There has been an uptick in problematic behaviour – a great undercurrent of which tends to be more antisocial behaviour and low level disorder rather than organised fighting....
    URLhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/02/07/football-fan-disorder-increase-across-land-reasons/
    PersonsGeoff Pearson

Keywords

  • football
  • crime