Justice for the LFC Twelve (and many others)

The article passionately campaigns for justice for the LFC Twelve, referring to twelve Liverpool Football Club supporters wrongfully convicted following the tragic events at Heysel Stadium in 1985. It details how these fans, among many others, endured decades of injustice stemming from the disaster where 39 Juventus supporters lost their lives during the European Cup final.[3][5]

Heysel's chaos arose from crowd disturbances, collapsing walls, and inadequate stadium conditions, yet English fans, particularly Liverpool supporters, bore the brunt of blame. The piece recounts how UK authorities swiftly charged 27 Liverpool fans with manslaughter, securing convictions for the Twelve despite scant evidence linking them directly to the deaths. Sentences ranged from three to six years, with most serving time in Belgium's harsh prisons.[3]

Highlighting systemic bias, the author notes the selective prosecution: while Italian and Belgian inquiries pointed to broader failures—like poor policing and stadium decay—British justice prioritized punishing "hooligans" to appease international pressure. UEFA's indefinite ban on English clubs, lasting five years for Liverpool, compounded the punishment. The article draws parallels to other miscarriages, such as Hillsborough, where 97 Liverpool fans died in 1989 amid similar scapegoating of supporters.[5]

Years later, campaigns for exoneration gained traction. In 2006, Belgium reviewed cases, but only partial pardons emerged; full quashing of convictions came sporadically, with the last in 2015. Yet the author argues true justice remains elusive—no official apologies, no compensation, and lingering stigma. It calls for a formal UK government acknowledgment, akin to the Hillsborough inquiries, to honor the Twelve and countless others tainted by Heysel's narrative.[3]

Interweaving LFC history from LFCHistory.net's archives, the piece laments how tragedies overshadowed triumphs, urging fans to remember resilience amid adversity. "Blame the fans!" echoes as a bitter legacy, but the fight for truth endures, demanding recognition that the Twelve were victims of circumstance, not villains.[2][3][5]

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