Rangers' riot in Manchester - video

4:12pm Thursday 15th May 2008

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A lone police officer was tripped up and stamped on as he faced up to a baying mob of hundreds of Rangers fans, video footage showed today.

The officer was among seven riot officers seen retreating down a city centre street at about 10.15pm yesterday as they were vastly outnumbered by charging supporters.

CCTV images show the officers attempting in vain to keep the fans at arm's length as missiles of cans, bottles and rubbish are thrown at them.

Six of the officers eventually turn and run but one of the officers confronts the front of the pack.

He is punched before one of the mob trips him up and he falls to the ground.

The male officer is then set upon in Newton Street by a gang of about 20 fans who kick and stamp on him on the ground.

He eventually makes his escape as a stream of fans proceeds onwards, several with their arms aloft in celebration.

Greater Manchester Police said the officer suffered bruising to both arms, sore ribs and a puncture wound to the elbow, but was now recovering from his injuries.

In other footage released by police, a large group of supporters are seen to vandalise a car near a set of traffic lights as they smash the windows of the vehicle.

In a statement, police said the images portrayed the "measured response taken by officers in the face of mindless thuggery".

• A small minority of yobs were to blame for the violence which marred the Uefa Cup final in Manchester, police and council chiefs said today.

Hundreds of Rangers fans went on the rampage when a big screen showing the match in the city's Piccadilly Gardens failed to work just before kick-off.

Fifteen officers were injured, as well as a police dog, and 42 arrests were made as hundreds of riot police and supporters fought running battles.

One fan of Rangers' Russian opponents, Zenit St Petersburg, was stabbed but his injuries were not life-threatening.

The match commander, Assistant Chief Constable Justine Curran, said the response of her officers was "appropriate".

She said: "It was challenging and we were stretched. Our officers did come under a degree of violent attacks. I am happy we responded appropriately. We could not let those minor disturbances affect the day for everybody.

"I am satisfied our reaction was appropriate. I watched the scenes in Piccadilly Gardens from the control room. I saw officers chased down a street by a baying mob of around 200 people. We had to do something."

The screen that failed was one of eight mounted in the city to accommodate more than 100,000 ticketless fans who descended from Glasgow.

Council leader Sir Richard Leese said the screen went blank 15 minutes before the 7.45pm kick-off but had been working throughout the day.

Around 11,000 fans were transported by shuttle bus to an alternative screen set up rapidly at the Velodrome near the City of Manchester of Stadium - but a group of supporters stayed and vented their fury at the police.

Sir Richard said: "We are clearly disappointed that a great night was soured by a number of small people.

"We had an unprecedented number of people come to Manchester, between 100,000 and 150,0000 people. It is the biggest movement of that size for an event of this nature.

"For most of the day and in most parts of the city we had a carnival atmosphere. Most people were good humoured who were a credit to their city.

"Whether it was the big screen going down or a problem with alcohol the behaviour of this small minority of yobs was not acceptable.

"If you are going to put the blame on anyone then it has to be on these people."

A relaxed attitude to fans' drinking in the street - normally outlawed - was adopted as supporters consumed alcohol from breakfast onwards.

Sir Richard added: "Do you really think we were going to stop 100,000 plus Glaswegians wanting to have a drink? It was not possible.

"Trying to enforce that would have created a public order problem."