" Another item on Banning Orders "

I know it's Christmas but I want to share this with you all, it maybe helpful to our fans


Section 14 b article by Garreth Cummins, Football supporters Federation, "by the fans, for the fans."

The following article is from the December issue of the FSF magazine called “The football supporter” an excellent publication that al Football supporters Federation members can subscribe to monthly ( http://www.fsf.org.uk/shop/)

It is similar to the other post I put up recently just another slant on it, I still think its worth letting our fans know the full facts about the laws that could hit them...please don’t bother reading any further if this has no interest to you.

Garreth Cummins is a friend of both mine and Vince Alm and he works for the FSF...in this piece he explores a worrying piece of legislation that allows the police to ban fans without any proof of wrong-doing.

Here is his article.

I’m on the list, I can’t possibly know it for certain, but the fact remains that I’m on that list.
The authorities are monitoring me without my knowledge, watching my movements, noting my habits; they think I am a risk to society. There’s covert surveillance of me at weekends. The government spies are everywhere, sometimes they don’t even try to hide it. CCTV cameras are tracking my every move, they’re on to me. It’ll not be long ‘til they stop me going where I want and when I want, call me in for regular checks; they will take my passport off me, just because I ‘m on the list...

Far from being some Orwellian nightmare, the above is true of thousands, possibly tens of thousands of people in this country. And before you start to worry about my sanity and suggest I stop watch the “X files” re runs late into the night, I’m not talking about some great government conspiracy, there’s no need for me to reach for the tin foil hat or shove pencils up my nostrils( well not yet anyway).

You see. The police are tracking football supporters in ever increasing numbers. Countless numbers of fans are assessed by police forces as “risk” supporters, but what does that mean? It might sound ludicrous, but if the police assess you as a risk supporter, that very assessment can be used against you in a court as “evidence” towards a football banning order (FBO)

I say “evidence” in inverted commas, because, like the rest of us , you probably thought that FBO’s were reserved only for the hardcore hooligan element following football; those who commit serious acts of violence in and around stadia and are tried and convicted in front of a jury, the problem for fans now, however, is FBO’s are being dished out much more liberally, and in much more worrying circumstances.





The legal bit

There are two ways you can get a banning order.

a) Under section 14(a) with which most people are familiar this is a criminal sanction following a conviction, typically of a football related offence.

b) Under section 14 (b) a civil injunction following a complaint by the police.

A banning order under section 14 (b) is exactly the same as one under section 14 (a) in duration, terms and restriction of freedoms, but you don’t have to be convicted (in fact you don’t even need to be arrested) of any offence for the police to apply

So what is a risk supporter?

The national police definition is someone “ whether known or not, who can be regarded as posing a possible risk to public order or any anti social behaviour, whether planned or spontaneous, at or in connection with a football match.

Can the police decide this with little or no evidence?

Yes, someone the police think poses a risk is a risk

How do you become a risk supporter?

There are no hard and fast rules, but associating with risk supporters is likely to see you classed as one too.

So anyone who attends a game could become a risk supporter

Yes

So you could attend a game and be talking to a known risk supporter without either of us realising it?

That is correct.

Do people know they are risk supporters?

No, the police don’t inform people that they have been categorised as risk supporters.







The anatomy of the section 14 (b) banning order

So you probably still think that you’d have to do something fairly impressive for your local force to bring a case against you and threaten you with a banning order? You’d be wrong.

Suppose you head to your next away match, perhaps a local derby or cup game, to pick up a ticket from a mate at a pub a short distance from the ground

As it’s busy, a couple of police officers are there monitoring events, but it’s all good natured, and there is no hint of trouble

You are corralled into a larger group of your fans by the police near the away end; the police spotters are there with their camcorders looking out for trouble makers, but you largely ignore them as you make your way to the ground.

Walking in the throng towards the turnstiles the anticipation and atmosphere grows, and you exchange a few songs (and perhaps a few choice words) with groups of home supporters you pass.

All harmless, regular match day occurrences for many, you may think, unfortunately, each of these decisions could lead you on the road to a football banning order under section 14 (b) of the football supporters act of 1989, as amended by the football (disorder) Act 2000;


Police have used the fact that you have travelled to a game without a ticket as evidence that you are going to contribute to violence or disorder. Unknown to you, there were risk supporters in the pub you chose to stop at, or people on banning orders. The police have now identified you as associating with risk supporters

Your choice of pub indicates you are intent on contributing to disorder with home fans. Conversely if you’d chosen a pub further away that wasn’t a typical matchday pub, the police use this as evidence that disorder was planned away from the ground.

You have been videoed in the police escort. If you weren’t a risk supporter, why else would you require an escort? The fact you had no choice is irrelevant

Swearing and gesturing at opposition fans as been taken as a sign of aggression. The police use this behaviour as evidence that you intend to commit disorder

A worse case scenario of course, but each of these arguments has been used successfully by the police applying for FBO’s.
Section 14 (B) is a civil sanction, the standard of proof is only “in the balance of probabilities” rather than “beyond reasonable doubt”, as criminal cases require



Some will still argue that only fans that have previous offences can be caught up in this, that is untrue and anyone, regardless of who they are, can be a victim of section 14 B

SO Corky Virtually Everyone Following Cardiff City in the Police eyes are " RISK SUPPORTERS "


So what is a risk supporter?

The national police definition is someone “ whether known or not, who can be regarded as posing a possible risk to public order or any anti social behaviour, whether planned or spontaneous, at or in connection with a football match.

Can the police decide this with little or no evidence?

Yes, someone the police think poses a risk is a risk

How do you become a risk supporter?

There are no hard and fast rules, but associating with risk supporters is likely to see you classed as one too.

So anyone who attends a game could become a risk supporter

Yes

So you could attend a game and be talking to a known risk supporter without either of us realising it?

That is correct.

Do people know they are risk supporters?

No, the police don’t inform people that they have been categorised as risk supporters.

SURELY YOU HAVE TO GO TO COURT TO RECIEVE THIS BANNING ORDER ? BECAUSE OTHER WISE CAN YOU CAN REFUSE TO EXCEPT A BANNING ORDER ? IE REFUSE THE LETTER IF THIS IS HOW THEY DO IT. HOW DOES HUMAN RIGHTS STAND ON THIS. HAS ANY ONE C HALLENGED THIS FACIST LAW ?

just read that through. its quite shocking really.

From Facebook

Nigel Pepper ‎1984 !!
11 hours ago · Like · 1 person

Bobby Harold Webb Wots dat about then mate?
11 hours ago via Facebook Mobile · Like

Freddie Woolf That is insane
11 hours ago · Like


Michael Ford This country and its laws are doing my head in,it really is getting beyond a joke.
7 hours ago · Like · 1 person

Corky, this f*cking stinks. Football for the fan is fucked. Excuse my language, merry xmas

The point I was making was that this section 14(b) actually exists at all.. Its not used on a large basis in south Wales but it is available if required.
If you or anyone you know gets a section 14b banning order please let me or Vince know immediately...in fact let us know before it goes to court, there is little defence against it because there is virtually hardly any burden of proof required for a magistrate to grant this to the police....you can not ignore the ban...it will be binding in law...if you breach the banning order it will revert from a civil to a criminal offence and Jail sentences are then a probability.

I'm a risk supporter .. .......... ban me!

so basicly we are all risk supporters because we post on here???

they should concentrate on peado's and terrorist

Cheers Corky for the info

thats why i would never trust a spotter,there nice as pie to your face then when the shit hits the fan there your worst enemy