I have never been inspired to write to a newspaper in response to a published letter, however the letter headlined 'Fans behaved like savages' by John Monaghan (South China Morning Post, October 23), infuriated me.
It is quite obvious from the context of his letter that Mr Monaghan did not attend the Italy v England match in Rome, so how can he have such an accurate view of what happened? I heard all about it from my brother, a Hong Kong resident, who did attend. He was horrified that the Italian police did behave in such a heavy-handed fashion. Having lived in Hong Kong for the past five years he was looking forward to visiting a country he adores, to eating a superb meal, drinking some excellent wine and seeing an international football match. He was bitterly disappointed.
I fully accept that English soccer fans have previously behaved in an appalling fashion and in no way condone that type of behaviour, however the blame in this instance was wholly with the police. A number of people who travelled to Italy were petrified once in the stands, as they truly believed that the situation was another Hillsborough in the making.
The fans attending the match were not all just young males, there were several women, children and Canadians present. I wonder how Mr Monaghan would justify a middle-aged man having his car keys confiscated as they were assumed to be an offensive weapon. The man by the way was a Canadian supporter of English soccer.
I feel that there is an underlying prejuduce in Mr Monagham's letter and that it would have been far simpler for him to write a letter extolling the virtues of Anglophobia. I have no problem with this, as a race we certainly have many bad things to answer for including our history as invaders, colonists and football hooligans, but I can assure him that as all Canadians are not just 'decaffeinated' Americans so all Brits are not all marauding, snobbish bullies.
JACKIE OSBORNE Pokfulam
