Thursday, April 16, 2009

Anfield: April 15, 2009

30,000 Liverpool fans filled Anfield on Wednesday for the 20th anniversary remembrance of the Hillsborough Stadium tragedy. It was broadcast live all over Great Britain, but here in the United States I was only able to catch the highlights on Sky Sports News on the Fox Soccer Channel.

What I saw was very moving. The names of the 96 victims were read, and that immediately brought tears to my eyes, as it brought me back to all the September 11 remembrances I've been to at Ground Zero, when all the victims names are read as well.

A member of Gordon Brown's cabinet was there to represent the government, as was heckled by the fans there. There is a still a movement to bring those responsible for the disaster to justice, but that still hasn't happened.

After the service, a man named Trevor Hicks was interviewed, as he is the head of the Hillsborough families group, as Mr. Hicks lost two daughters in the disaster. Mr. Hicks spoke eloquently about how it never gets easier every year, and that also brought the comparison to 9/11 back home for me.

Here is a YouTube clip from the Anfield ceremonies, which included 150 seconds of silence for the victims. It includes shots of people around the UK observing it.

May The 96 rest in peace.

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