Thatcher And The 96

On April 15, 1989, Liverpool FC fans lined up outside Sheffield Wednesday's stadium for a neutral-site match against Nottingham Forest. With such a large crowd, Yorkshire police decided to open three exit gates, and the crowd rushed the stands, which at the time had tall fencing between the stand and the pitch. The standing room-only section filled so quickly, spectators were being crushed and suffocating in the crowd. Fans tried to climb over the fencing, and other fans in the stadium tried to help only to be turned away by police. Police response was slow, and even though as many as 44 ambulances arrived, police only allowed one in. The aftermath was 96 fans killed and over 700 injured.
While the Taylor Report placed the blame on the actions and lack of response by police, Margaret Thatcher wrote in a memo, "The broad thrust is devastating criticism of the police. Is that for us to welcome?" Thatcher was already an opponent of the soccer culture in Britain, having supported a ban on European play in the late 80's, bans on visiting fans attending games, and cutting funding to after-school programs. Thatcher believed the police's story that the fans were drunk and unruly, some even speculating as a favor for the Yorkshire police's actions during the 1984-85 miners' strike. It wasn't until September of last year that Prime Minister David Cameron apologized to the Liverpool supporters and family for the cover-up in the initial reports.
So it should be no surprise the English Premiere League did not require it's clubs to hold a moment of silence, and it'll be interesting to see if the next Liverpool match carries chants like this:

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