Thursday, 22 August 2013

Football fans warned on online abuse

Source BBC News@ tienganhvui.com


Football fans being dispersed by police after violence before a matchArrests linked to offences at football matches have fallen in recent years


Football supporters are being warned that abuse of players or fellow fans on online social media is being targeted this season by police and prosecutors.


New guidelines for tackling hooligans in England and Wales also for the first time address homophobic chanting.


Match-related incidents have been falling but there will continue to be a "robust prosecution policy".


Police say troublemakers given banning orders would find they are unable to attend the 2014 Brazil World Cup.


The orders prevent supporters from travelling to matches for a minimum of three years and any imposed this season would therefore also affect supporters hoping to attend Euro 2016 in France, the CPS and Association of Chief Police Officers added in a statement setting out the policy guidance.


The joint policy outlines the way violence, disorder, criminal damage and abuse in and around football matches will be approached.


Other "emerging challenges" for police and prosecutors highlighted include assaults of players by fans and the use of flares or fireworks within grounds.


Nick Hawkins, lead sports prosecutor at the CPS, said most football fans are well behaved and there has been a rise in the numbers of families at matches because of "friendlier atmospheres".


'Culture change'

Earlier this year, the CPS unveiled guidance specifying when communications on social media such as Twitter or Facebook - that included threats of violence or damage to property, targeted individuals, or appeared to breach a court order - should be prosecuted.


The CPS says there is a "place for humour in football but where the line between humour and offensive behaviour is crossed then positive action will be taken".


Mr Hawkins said: "Decent, law-abiding football fans deserve to be reassured that the criminal justice system is better equipped than ever before to protect their right to follow their teams in safety, whilst players, referees and supporters should know that harassment and abuse against them will not be tolerated."


He added: "In years gone by, racist and homophobic chanting in the stands was an ugly feature of football matches across the country, but I believe we are beginning to see a shift in culture... but hate crime legislation has a large part to play in this ongoing culture change.


"But it's not just criminality in the stands that will be taken on. Our legal guidance on communications sent by social media clearly sets out how we will approach the abuse of players or fellow supporters online."


Alice Ashworth from gay rights charity Stonewall welcomed the announcement and said its research showed that homophobic abuse "continues to be all too common in football and deters gay fans, as well as many families, from attending matches".


Darren Bailey, director of governance and regulation for the Football Association, said: "The FA welcomes the CPS' policy and wholeheartedly supports its ambitions in continuing to make football a safe environment for everyone."


The latest available figures on offences at football matches are for 2011-12 and show the number of arrests at international and domestic games fell by nearly a 24%, to 2,363. There were 2,750 banning orders in existence, down from 3,173.





Đăng ký: Tieng Anh Vui

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