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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 20 February 2009

Pub damaged by rioting fans

Visiting fans wreck pub and attack cars

Police foil clash planned for middle of busy road

FOOTBALL hooligans smashed up a Holloway pub and vandalised 40 cars in violent clashes before and after the Arsenal-Cardiff City FA Cup tie on Monday.
A massive police presence prevented a pre-arranged fight between rival fans, planned for the middle of Holloway Road.
More than four times the usual number of officers were drafted in, many in riot gear, with 800 police, helicopters, 21 horses and 14 dogs in the area.
In total, 22 people were arrested for offences such as being drunk and disorderly, criminal damage and possession of class A drugs.
Trouble began brewing before the game at The Lord Nelson pub in Holloway Road. Officers surrounded the pub to prevent Cardiff fans drinking inside from mixing with Arsenal fans making their way to the stadium.
Landlord James Hennegan said: “The police held the supporters inside the pub and that seemed to cause people to panic. They felt they were being caged in. There was no fighting before that time.
“When they couldn’t get out they turned on the pub.”
The fans threw chairs and bar stools, smashing five windows, and ripped wooden railings from the pub’s interior to throw at police, causing thousands of pounds of damage.
Mr Hennegan said: “With the history we have with Cardiff, the police did a good job. I just thought I’d cause more trouble by not opening as the away fans would have had nowhere to go.”
Fans went on the rampage along Avenell Road, vandalising 40 cars after the match.
PC Peter Dearden, from Islington Police football intelligence unit, said: “Arsenal’s hooligans numbered in the region of 100. Cardiff had a similar number but that can swell considerably among fans who behave normally but when fuelled by alcohol become hooligans for a day.”
Nine Arsenal fans were arrested as police feared supporters were planning to clash in the middle of Holloway Road.
PC Dearden said: “That took the wind out of their sails. But at that point a lot of Cardiff supporters and hooligans tried to come out of the Lord Nelson. Past history tells us they would have tried to attack any Arsenal fans.
“The only way was to stop them coming out of the pub. It’s not an ideal scenario but the bottom line was that they smashed a few windows and I’d rather they cause a bit of criminal damage than serious injury to people.”
He said Islington police supported plans to introduce a controlled drinking zone along Holloway Road.
One eye-witness, who asked not to be named, said: “Cardiff fans are the worst. We had them here last year and we’ve only just got over it. They smashed up the whole of Holloway Road. This year the police were more prepared.”
Islington Council Lib Dem deputy leader Councillor Terry Stacy said the scenes strengthened the case for a controlled drinking zone along Holloway Road.
He added: “Our reputation as a borough as to how we manage fans is really good. People come to learn how we do it.”
Six South Wales football intelligence police officers travelled to Highbury to help Islington police.

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