BAt 10am on the morning of July 11, 2021, a horde of football fans was already gathering outside London’s Wembley Stadium in anticipation of the Euro 2020 final clash between England and Italy, set to begin later late that night. What happened over the next 10-plus hours would make the day memorable, and not just for England’s defeat in a heartbreaking penalty shootout.
In The Final: Attack on Wembley, now streaming on Netflix, directors Rob Miller and Kwabena Oppong chronicle how fan frenzy during England’s first grand final since 1966, combined with pent-up frustration from the COVID-19 lockdown, resulted in thousands of ticketless fans storming Wembley in an attempt to gain access to the match. As the day progressed, the celebration descended into chaos that escalated into violence, with participants under the influence of drugs and alcohol acting in an increasingly unruly and erratic manner.
“Shocking and unprecedented levels of criminal and anti-social behavior were evident from very early on, which caught all agencies off guard and meant the police deployment arrived too late,” he said. declared a report on the incident published later that year.
What happened at Wembley?
The documentary features first-hand testimony from several people who were at Wembley that day, including a fan who forced his way into the stadium, security staff and innocent attendees caught up in the fight. An Italy fan who brought his daughter to the game tells how they were verbally abused, had bottles and cans thrown at them and feared physical violence as they tried to get around the noisy crowd that gathered on the Wembley ground.
Those trying to sneak into the stadium followed ticket holders through barriers, through turnstiles and past security guards and police. In total, around 2,000 people forced their way into Wembley – 400 of whom were ejected by officials – while 19 police officers were injured and 86 people were arrested in London for match-related disorder. Although no one was seriously injured, the December 2021 report stated that the day “saw a number of ‘near misses’ that could have caused significant injury or even death.”
The documentary emphasizes the role of COVID-19 lockdowns on the psyche of young fans. “I’m not ashamed of what I did,” said an English fan who successfully invaded the stadium. “In 2020, we were all locked in our houses, we couldn’t go anywhere, we could only go out to get some exercise. And all the time we’re doing this, our country’s leaders are here, celebrating. How can I feel like I did something wrong? Witnessing England win their first trophy since 1966, I didn’t miss it on anyone.
The film also investigates the aftermath of England’s defeat, exposing the racist abuse directed at England’s three black players, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who missed penalties. “I can criticize my performance all day,” Rashford said in a statement shared on social media the day after the match. “But I will never apologize for who I am and where I came from.”
Attack at Wembley ends with a preview of the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament, in which England are once again among the favorites to win. This year’s final will take place in Berlin.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
