After being caught on camera during Burnley’s match against Manchester United, a man has been charged with tragedy chanting.
On Saturday night, a fan residing in Old Trafford’s away end appeared to make fun of the Munich air disaster in a video that went viral on social media.
The incident took place during the 1-1 draw, as Burnley supporters were celebrating Zeki Amdouni’s late equalizer.
Police have now verified that Bacup resident Nathan Rawlinson, 44, has been charged in connection with the incident.
Greater Manchester Police stated, “We can confirm that we have charged Nathan Rawlinson (25/08/1979) of Bacup, Lancashire with Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986. He has since been granted bail.”
This accusation follows the arrest of a man by our specialized operational football investigation team from the away section of the Old Trafford crowd who was tragically chanting yesterday as the Manchester United vs. Burnley game was coming to an end.
“As we have recently enforced, anyone found to be repeatedly engaging in tragic chanting will not be allowed and will face severe consequences.
“We recognize the amount of interest this case will garner, but until the proceedings are over, members of the public should refrain from conversing online in order to ensure that the suspect has a fair trial. Videos that have already been shared should be taken down.
Burnley FC issued a statement last night that harshly denounced the actions.
The Clarets released a statement saying, “We are aware of offensive footage currently circulating on social media from the away end of today’s fixture at Old Trafford.”
Burnley Football Club takes a zero-tolerance stance against gestures and chants related to tragedies.
“We’ll keep collaborating with Manchester United, Lancashire Police, and Greater Manchester Police to find and apprehend those who are at fault.”
In the plane crash on February 6, 1958, three Old Trafford employees and eight Busby Babes perished.
Following a European Cup match in Belgrade against Red Star, United’s chartered aircraft crashed on takeoff in severe weather at Munich-Riem Airport, killing eight sports journalists as well. The tragic event claimed the lives of 23 people in total.
An Everton supporter was found guilty of a similar crime earlier this month, which happened after the Toffees’ March Old Trafford match.
After that, Mark Finnigan received a three-year football ban, which keeps him from going to games.
