Protests

Wharrawewant? YANKS OUT whendowewanit? NOW



Protests? Protests at Anfield? Last May we were all looking forward to Athens. How long ago it seems now. Almost like a lifetime. Around that time as well, there were protests. Not against the Yanks, but against Rick Parry, and the disgraceful way of allocating tickets for the final, the lack of tickets for fans, and the now infamous "I won't play the numbers game" ballot. Basically loyal fans being pushed out. Sound familiar?



To all those protesting it was a big step. Something never seen at Anfield before. But it had to be done, we had to stand up for ourselves. Some didn't agree. Some felt it would set a dangerous precedent. All those taking part, didn't want to be there. They never wanted to be there again. We all hoped there would never be a need again. We done what we felt was right, not just on a spur of the moment, but even after hours and days of contemplation it was the right thing to do, in our minds, and still is. We protested. We made our point. Then we went back to supporting the Reds. We expected that to be the end of the matter.


Fast Forward to November, before the Porto game at home in the European Cup. Fans were reliably informed that Benitez was about to be sacked. The fans reacted. We all stood together. We marched and we chanted all night our support for a manager who has put us back on the map. We did this because we felt it was right, it was a just cause. Again, it wasn't the right thing for some people. But a large number wanted to do it. To them it had to be done.

Then the Yanks thought they could ride roughshod over us all. They upset the manager. They decided the debt would be against the club. So we as fans made ourselves known. Some banners. Some chants. And then came the Aston Villa game. Monday night at home. Live on Sky. A chance to make our anger heard. And we did. The Kop, all night as well as supporting the team, made its anger known to the Amercians and the watching public - We aren't happy and we want you out. It made the news. It raised our anger and our issues with them in the public domain. It was no longer a load of angry fans moaning in the pub. It was no longer "200 divvies". It was Kopites, thousands of them. It was Liverpudlians, through and through. Thousands of them, round the ground, making their point heard. Making themselves heard.

The Havant and Waterlooville game was a turning point. As has been said, the Kop spoke. We as fans have to accept that, and we did. Not something we want to to re-live, having the Kop turn on us fans making a point, a point we felt was valid at the time and still is today. Some people say wrong time, wrong place. Others disagree. Who is there to decide who is right and who is wrong? But we moved on, we accepted the Kop had spoken.


And along came S.O.S. A meeting in The Sandon on 31st January was called, all fans invited to attend. Around 300 or so did. The issue of the Americans in charge, Gillett and Hicks, were discussed, along with all the issues affecting the club. From this, the Liverpool Supporters Union has been formed, Spirit Of Shankly. People stood up and gave ideas on what we should do. Ideas for protests. Boycotts of products, and matches. Pickets of Club shops and of matches. Pitch Invasions. Letters of complaint. Chants. Marches. A variety of ideas from a variety of fans, were put out there and discussed. So what have we done so far.

Initially, it was voted for a Boycott of all LFC merchandise. Some people agreed on this, others didn't. It was done in an attempt to stop fans buying the club for Hicks and Gillett. There were and still are accusations that it damages the club, and that it would affect the transfer budget. The decision to call for a boycott of merchandise was further emphasised when we look at what Tom Hicks has said about us, and his history of leveraged buyouts.

He wanted us to pay for the club for them. So why give them the money to do so?

Following on from the Havant and Waterlooville game, protesting during the game itself was to be avoided. So we waited until the game was over. And stayed behind to make ourselves heard. We did this for a few games, post match television and radio broadcasts with the protesting Kop as a backdrop.

Eventually the clubs army of stewards and ever increasing in volume PA system made it hard for us.

So we used half time. Supported the lads in the first half and made ourselves heard at half time, before getting behind the lads in the second half. Eventually the club started turning the music up so we moved our ideas on.

Following our 2 mass meetings there have been marches to the ground. To make ourselves heard, and be a visible show of strength. These have been brilliant. The first one caught the authorities on the backfoot. They were waiting for us the next time. But we still got the upper hand, with a tactical master class similar to the Athens protest 'Lets go in 2s and 3s, leave the big banner there'. A mass bunk into the Main Stand Car Park, and we were protesting outside the Directors Box. The club obviously felt the need for a mass presence of stewards for what was a peaceful protest. They have obviously never heard the motto "The Customer is always right". We protested in the car park, causing no obstruction. In fact the few police horses, dozens of police and stewards were more of an obstruction. But they had to move us "out the way". Anyway we made our point. And they know we will continue to do so.

We decided to keep it away from Anfield - We were preparing for a big European Night, our semi-final against Chelsea. So we used the proposed site of the New Anfield. Tom Hicks and George Gillett had promised a space in the ground in 60 days, a reference to getting the new stadium started. We got fed up of waiting. So 440 days later, we offered a helping hand. Armed with spades, and a Liverpool mug (that obviously must make you a big fan eh Tom?), we put a spade in the ground. So we started it for you Tom and George, but I very much doubt you will be interested in finishing it.

Liverpool Football Club is OUR club. Without the fans it is worthless. The famed "12th Man" is often referred to by the media, the club and even Hicks and Gillett talked about us fans when they took over the club. So it was time to take back what was rightfully ours. Armed with Eviction Notices, A Repossession banner and most importantly, a padlock. We "repossessed" the ground, and fed up with paying the rent for our current tenants. Hicks and Gillett were "evicted". Lets hope they take the hint. Even the Merseyside Police Helicopter came out for the occassion. In Support? Who knows.

There have been numerous other ideas for protests put forward. We will never instantly dismiss an idea, we will look at it and discuss it. If you have any ideas, put them to us. We welcome as many ideas as possible. We also need support for these protests, get behind us in getting them out and protecting our club.

We know opinion on protests, when, where, what, is divided. But sadly in our opinion it has to be done. I wish I could go back to just going the match, and the closest thing to a protest being a moan to me mate about the team, the night before, or the ale. But at the moment we can't. We have to force them out. I know protesting goes against what some people think and believe. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices. Do something that although you don't want to do it, you know is for the greater good, done with the best intentions. This is the case here. We aren't trying to anger our fans, or wind them up. We are trying to force the Yanks Out. Moaning to mates in the pub, at the match, or on the internet will not do this. Visible and audible shows of strength and anger might not have an immediate impact, but helps us in chipping away towards what we want.



Wharrawewant I ask again? YANK OUTS