The front cover of Turnstile Blue, a new Ipswich Town fanzine
Ipswich: Town fanzine seller claims he was ‘threatened’ with arrest in front of his children
By Victoria Kalbraier
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
9:46 AM
A MAN selling an Ipswich Town fanzine has complained to police that he was threatened with arrest in front of his two young children.
Turnstile Blues was created by fans to highlight their concerns about the club, chief executive Simon Clegg and owner and chairman Marcus Evans in a humorous way.
Fans were selling the fanzine outside the club on Saturday, before ITFC’s match against Cardiff City.
The fanzine seller, who didn’t wish to be named, was outside the main gate in Constantine Road with his 11-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son.
Susan Gardiner, editor of Turnstiles Blues, said: “He was selling our fanzine and he had his two young children with him.
“We had agreed we wouldn’t get in anyone’s way.
“He said he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.”
The seller said the club’s security staff had looked at the fanzine to see if it contained anything provocative and thought it was alright.
He was later approached by two plain-clothed officers and asked to move and told he may be arrested for causing a breach of the peace if he did not.
The man agreed to move but has since complained to police about the treatment he received.
Ms Gardiner said: “We’re not wanting to have a battle with the club over this, we just feel perhaps they haven’t handled it well and we’re a bit puzzled why the police were involved at all.
“We don’t want to have an argument with the club – we’re all Ipswich Town supporters and we’re only wanting the best for the club.”
A Suffolk Police spokesman said: “Staff at ITFC spoke with two plain-clothed officers working at the Ipswich v Cardiff match on Saturday, October 6 making them aware of a man selling an unofficial fanzine outside the entrance to the club.
“The man was spoken to and words of advice were given. The officers advised the man that although he was not doing anything wrong it maybe an idea to move along the way by about 50 yards.
“The man was asked his name and address for checking against the Police National Computer (PNC) but also advised that he was not obliged to give them. The man agreed to give his details and the officers went on their way.”
An Ipswich Town spokesman said: “It appears that one of our security staff mentioned to the police liaison officer that people were selling a fanzine outside the ground.
“We understand that the police liaison officer asked one of the sellers if he had a licence.
“Fans are entitled to their opinions and we never had any intention of stopping anyone selling the fanzine outside the grounds. It was still being sold up until kick off.”
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7 comments
The magazine is available online, and is well worth looking out, as it is a combination of sad, high quality analysis, incredibly funny, and about ITFC. Shame on the club, if it is correct that a steward got involved.
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Kevin Bailey
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
just shows how far this great club has fallen
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saxon
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The big question is why were the police involved. Plenty of magazines and newspapers have provocative views but do not have policemen challenging their vendors. All you hear from ITFC is bad stories nowadays, I just wonder how much worse it is going to get. p.s. What happened to Freedom of Speech?
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R2 D2
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
I find it quite apalling that Mr Evans' power seems to extend beyond what he does own i.e. the ground into areas that he does not i.e. people going lawfully about their business in a public place can be intimidated in such a manner...
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bluearmy78
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
This has won my award for the most boring story ive ever read.
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ima comedian
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Could this be considered a control on people's ability to express their views when they think a monopolistic organisation is perhaps not run as well as they feel it could be? Our monopolistic local papers should know all about that because they do it to their website readers by virtue of unreasonable censorship on criticism of the EADT or Star.
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Johnthebap
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
How pathetic of the club to move this chap on. Small minded and puerile. I wish I had seen the magazines as I would have bought one.
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JOHN BURLS
Tuesday, October 9, 2012