GIVE yourselves up – or we will come and get you.
That is the message from Hampshire police hunting suspected troublemakers who marred the recent FA Cup derby between Saints and Pompey with scenes of shameful violence.
Today the Daily Echo can reveal ten suspects who are wanted for questioning after trouble flared in the aftermath of the match last month.
Hundreds of Saints fans streamed out of St Mary’s to confront Portsmouth supporters as they made their way along Britannia Road under police escort.
The flashpoint came at the Freeborn Motors garage when the home fans charged at the metal fencing, hurling bricks and even chairs and causing tens of thousands of pounds of damage.
The scenes were the worst in the wake of Portsmouth’s 4-1 victory on February 13.
Mounted police joined a force of 260 police officers to keep the peace between the south coast rivals. On the day ten arrests were made for public order offences. Six people have subsequently pleaded guilty.
The violence was captured on CCTV while also being filmed by the Hampshire police’s air support unit and officers filming on the ground.
Police have spent hundreds of hours scouring the footage and identified those who they believe were responsible for some of the worst violence that including threatening police officers.
Now they are calling on the public to help identify them and are appealing directly to those responsible to give themselves up.
Detective Sergeant Will Whale said: “On the day we conducted a successful policing operation but we said from the start that we would find those who were intent on causing serious public order and violence and we are living up to that promise.
“We have reviewed the evidence of those who were intent on causing trouble that day and can see evidence of people throwing missiles, threatening police officers and causing damage.
We will not tolerate that sort of behaviour and what must have been a frightening series of events for members of the public and families leaving the match to have witnessed.”
He called on those who recognised themselves in the pictures to come forward.
“The message is simple, we will identify you and find you so it would be better for you if you give yourself up now. I am also asking members of the community to help us identify these people and know that any information they give will be treated in confidence.”
Anyone who thinks they can help with the investigation is asked to call 0845 045 4545 or 101 quoting Operation Austen at Hulse Road. Alternatively information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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