Police Federation says officers were faced with 'extreme violence' after Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley game

South Yorkshire’s Police Federation is calling for people to treat a video of a police officer using a baton on a Sheffield Wednesday fan ‘with care,’ warning that clips ‘don’t always show the full context’.
By Claire Lewis
Published 10th Feb 2020, 07:25 BST
Updated 10th Feb 2020, 14:35 BST
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Sergeant Steve Kent, chairman of the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, issued a statement after a video of the incident was shared online, showing a police officer striking a teenage football fan over his head after Wednesday played Barnsley on Saturday afternoon.

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The teen was left covered in blood from a open wound after the incident.

A teenager was struck over his head with a baton by a South Yorkshire Police officerA teenager was struck over his head with a baton by a South Yorkshire Police officer
A teenager was struck over his head with a baton by a South Yorkshire Police officer
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But Sgt Kent said: “The force will be carrying out a full investigation into the facts surrounding the footage.

“However, as always, it is important to stress that people should treat short videos from social media with care as they don’t always show the full context or the events leading up to the incident in question.

“From speaking to officers who were present they were faced with extreme violence both towards themselves and towards members of the public from a sizable minority of individuals who were at the game intent on causing as much trouble as possible.”

LATEST: Police issue statement after young fan injured at Sheffield Wednesday game at Barnsley

Yesterday, South Yorkshire Police said: “A full, open investigation, including extended video footage, will take place to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the actions which led to a 16-year-old boy sustaining a head injury from an officer's baton, and an officer being assaulted, sustaining injuries to his stomach and head.”

Witnesses should call 101 and quote incident 232 of February 8.