Liverpool Ban Journalists over Hillsborough Lies

The 96 innocent people who lost their lives in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster deserved better than the disgusting and exploitative lies from a so-called national newspaper. The 96 couldn't speak up for themselves after passing on in tragic circumstances, but their families and friends continued to fight year after year to prove their innocence. Grieving and fighting for justice against a political system that attempted to suppress the truth, a police force only interested in protecting its own interests, and sections of the media that engaged in hateful propaganda.

Do not forget that ordinary match going fans were only exonerated after 27 long years in April last year. A certain newspaper played a role in causing untold grief for families and tarnishing the reputation of the dead. There will be no asterisk to blot out the newspaper’s said full name here, simply because even a single character of the title is more than it deserves. This is how, for those who are unaware, sports and politics mix. And so, Liverpool have banned journalists representing such a newspaper from Anfield and Melwood.

This is the club of Bill Shankly. This is the club of the 96. This is the club whose mantra reminds those who are among their number that they will never walk alone. No reporters to cover matches at Anfield. No journalists at Melwood press conferences. Discussions between Liverpool FC and the Total Eclipse campaign have led to this decision, and for those thinking that 2017 is different for that newspaper, conduct your own investigation into its reputation.

It’s not the end of the road, though. While the verdict handed down vindicated those who spent nearly three decades fighting for truth and justice, and while it absolving Liverpool fans of blame in the disaster is a monumental decision, it is a decision that only absolves the victims. There as yet remains a need to hold those responsible to account.

This was written on this site after the verdicts last year, and now we are seeing some of that cost and accountability. The families were consulted about a move that wasn't "bad for fans and bad for football" considering the poor standards the newspaper holds. More than anything, those feeling excluded will never bear the cost that the 96 and their families have suffered.