Police plea to identify Arsenal fans after disorder at Burnley game

Police are appealing for help to identify these men after disorder broke out among football fans during a match between Burnley and Arsenal.

Lancashire police believe the men to be Arsenal fans at the away game on Saturday September 18 where supporters clashed in the stands.

Bottles and wooden seats were thrown between the two groups.

No fans reported any injuries though a match day steward was hit.

PC Dan Fish of Burnley Police said: “Since September our investigation into the disorder between Burnley and Arsenal fans has been very much ongoing.

“We appealed for information to identify 11 Burnley fans in November and now have further CCTV stills of 14 men – all Arsenal fans – who we wish to speak to.

“The disorder at the end of the match was unacceptable and it was pure luck no-one was seriously harmed.

“I would encourage anyone with information about those pictured to speak to police immediately.”

The appeal comes as the Premier League said it will meet police this week to discuss concerns over increased incidents of crowd disorder.

Last weekend there were incidents of objects being thrown at players in two separate matches and overall this season there has been an increase of 47 per cent in football-related arrests.

The number of cases is up to 802 from 547 in 2019-20, the last campaign from which comparable data is available due to behind-closed-doors matches.

There have also been more incidents of fans encroaching onto the pitch, the latest coming during Southampton’s home match with Manchester City.

:: Anybody with information should email 545@lancashire.police.uk or call on 101, quoting log 715 of September 18, 2021.