Updated
A Sydney FC fan says his daughter is “traumatised” after being escorted out of Kogarah Jubilee Stadium by police in front of thousands of jeering fans.
Key points:
- NSW Police said they escorted the father from the venue after he refused to co-operate with “seating protocols”
- The argument broke out when Rory Carroll took his daughter to a disabled toilet located in a restricted area
- Video of the incident shows hundreds of fans booing at security and police officers
Footage uploaded to social media from last night’s Sydney FC versus Melbourne Victory A-league semi-final showed a heated exchange between the father, Rory Carroll, and several police officers.
The argument began when Mr Carroll took his daughter, who has special needs, into a nearby disabled toilet which was located in a restricted area.
In the video, Mr Carroll can seen be arguing with police and security while his daughter watched on.
“Are you serious?” he asked police in the video.
“The disabled toilets — because my daughter needs it — are right there and they won’t let me take my daughter through.
“That’s what this is all about.”
Mr Carroll then pointed at a security guard as he continued arguing with the police.
“You guys want to kick me out because he said so and I can’t take my disabled daughter five metres,” he said.
Another video taken moments later shows the man and his daughter being escorted by up to ten officers out of the stadium to a chorus of boos.
Federation Football Australia (FFA) board member Remo Nogarotto took to social media to vent about the incident.
“This is disgraceful and the FFA needs to make its outrage heard at a political level,” he wrote on Twitter.
“If senior elements of the NSW Police can’t see the absurdity and humiliation of tonights incident then their political masters need to intervene.”
A FFA spokesperson said the organisation and Sydney FC had reached out to Mr Carroll.
A NSW Police spokesman confirmed a man was escorted from the stadium after he refused to co-operate with “seating protocols”.
“During an A-league game held at Jubilee Oval, Kogarah this evening, a male spectator was spoken to by security about seating protocols,” a police spokesperson said.
“Despite repeated requests by security the man was unwilling to cooperate, police assistance was called, the man was spoken to by officers, and after further refusal was escorted from the stadium with his family.”
The ABC understands only Mr Carroll was asked to leave the venue.
After the match, he took to social media and accused police of harassing him.
“If a young girl with special needs is not allowed to climb 10 steps to the toilet she uses every other week, then what can I say,” Mr Carroll tweeted.
“I was assaulted by security, threatened by a senior police officer screaming at me in front of my children as I sat on a terrace.”
The father and Sydney FC fan said his daughter had been excited for the match, but was left “traumatised”.
“My daughter had not stopped talking about [the game] and got dressed into her SFC gear,” he tweeted.
“Unfortunately that’s not how our night ended.
“I had to console crying girls, and put up with multiple police cars monitoring my movements as we exited the stadium.”
Topics:
First posted
from Trend Gossip Now http://bit.ly/2VXn5bO
0 Comments