Thousands of people packed the center of Liverpool Wednesday night for a vigil to mark the end of a 27-year battle to clear the names of 96 fans who died in Britain' s worst ever football disaster.

People from all over the world joined a mass of local people on St George's Plateau in downtown Liverpool to show support for the families of fans killed in a crowd rush at a cup semi final in 1989.

Hours earlier the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police was suspended from duty following complaints made about his force in debate earlier Wednesday in the House of Commons.

That debate came after an inquiry jury Tuesday ruled that the fans were blameless for the tragedy at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. Instead the jury found that the fans, the youngest 10, the oldest 67, were unlawfully killed.

Families came up against the combined forces of the establishment in their quest to seek the truth about what happened at the start of the game on April 15, 1989. As well as the 96 left dead, a further 766 were injured in the crush.

During the vigil, attended by political and civic leaders and representatives of Liverpool and Everton football clubs, the crowd sang the famous Anfield anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone", signally that the city had walked alone for nearly three decades as it sought justice for the 96 Liverpool fans.

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson told the crowd that 27 years ago the same plateau was flooded with tears as citizens gathered to share their grief. Tonight there were floods of tears of relief, after the jury concluded Britain's longest ever legal hearing by exonerating the fans of any blame.

Anderson said: "Yesterday, the wall of lies was finally torn down. The real truth came out yesterday."

Anderson said it was because of the incompetence of those in charge, who tried to lay the blame at the door of the fans, that the 96 had lost their lives.

Margaret Aspinall, 69, who lost her teenage son in the tragedy was given the loudest cheer from the crowd. She has chaired the Hillsborough Family Support Group in its fight for the truth.

She told the vigil: "The system, the police force of South Yorkshire ought to be ashamed of themselves and hang their heads in shame."

Referring to the earlier suspension of South Yorkshire Chief Constable David Crompton, the campaigning mom said: "Let's hope that's only the beginning of what's going to happen -- we have had 27 years of sleepless nights -- let's hope you are getting yours now."

Huge banners blazoned with the words Truth and Justice, also included the names of the 96 who died, were unfurled at St George' s Hall. Representatives from Liverpool FC and Everton FC placed red roses alongside 96 lanterns.

The justice campaign is now expected to switch its focus to ensure those involved in covering up the truth are made answerable in the courts.

Source:
courtesy of XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

by Xinhua News Agency

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]