Video: Football fans 'pepper sprayed' by police after violence flares at Doncaster railway station

Football fans were ‘pepper sprayed’ by police and a man arrested after violence flared at Doncaster railway station after a match between Doncaster Rovers and Grimsby Town.
By Darren Burke
Published 13th Apr 2023, 17:00 BST
Updated 13th Apr 2023, 17:00 BST

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Footage has emerged, which you can watch HERE of British Transport Police officers involved in an altecation with Grimsby supporters following their team’s 2-1 victory over Rovers at the Eco Power Stadium.

According to Grimsby Live, fans were waiting to board a train at Doncaster when several supporters clashed with police outside a Costa Coffee branch on the platforms.

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Footage shows the irritant spray being used on a group of fans by a single officer.

Police were filmed using 'pepper spray' on football fans at Doncaster railway station. (Photo: George Coombes).Police were filmed using 'pepper spray' on football fans at Doncaster railway station. (Photo: George Coombes).
Police were filmed using 'pepper spray' on football fans at Doncaster railway station. (Photo: George Coombes).

Mariners fan George Coombes, 26, who filmed the incident said: "It all happened after the game. There must have been 200 or 300 of us on the platform waiting to get on the train home.

"The police were picking people out of the crowd and were talking to them, it didn't really look like they'd done anything wrong. They were taken to one side and kept separate and people were worried about them not being able to get on the train.

"Some of the fans were talking to the police because they didn't want anyone to get left behind. The train was coming in around five minutes, suddenly things just seemed to switch and the officers became quite aggressive.

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"There was a lot more before I started videoing, the tone of it all just changed out of nowhere. There were a few guys that had a bit to drink but I couldn't see anyone that was particularly out of it.

"Next thing the pepper spray came out and they just fired it into the crowd. One of the fans messaged me after I posted the video, it was the first time he'd ever been pepper sprayed and it really affected him. He said he didn't properly get his vision back until the next morning. It was shocking to be honest."

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: "At around 6.50pm on Monday, a 54-year-old man from Cleethorpes was arrested by British Transport Police Officers, for being drunk and disorderly at Doncaster Railway Station. As he was being taken to the station he was then further arrested for assaulting an Emergency Worker."

Related topics:DoncasterFootballDoncaster RoversGrimsby