Hillsborough Survivors group and Sir Kenny Dalglish call on Liverpool fans to ‘respect and observe’ tonight’s minute’s silence for the Queen – or risk ‘increasing abuse over Hillsborough’ – after supporters’ past booing of God Save the Queen
- Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday afternoon
- A minute’s silence will be held at Anfield on Tuesday as Liverpool face Ajax
- A Hillsborough Survivors group have urged fans to respect minute’s silence
- Sir Kenny Dalglish has backed the group’s message of observing the tribute
- Liverpool supporters booed the national anthem at Wembley back in May
A Hillsborough Survivors group and Sir Kenny Dalglish have urged Liverpool fans to show ‘respect’ during tonight’s minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II following her death at the age of 96.
Liverpool made a request to UEFA for the tribute to be held before the Champions League game against Ajax at Anfield on Tuesday, with their manager Jurgen Klopp insisting it was the right thing for the club to do in this momentous period.
There is antipathy towards the monarchy in some quarters on Merseyside and there was a furore before the FA Cup final in May when Prince William, the new Prince of Wales, was booed by Liverpool fans.
Sections of Liverpool supporters also booed the national anthem, as had been the case before the Carabao Cup final in February, while others sang along at Wembley.
The same occurred prior to the Community Shield victory over Manchester City at Leicester’s King Power Stadium in July, where Prince William was also jeered as he shook the hands of the players.
The Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance has warned Reds supporters that they may face increasing abuse over Hillsborough should they decide to boo the anthem or the minute’s silence in memory of Her Majesty.
Sir Kenny Dalglish (pictured) has called on Liverpool fans to respect tributes to the Queen
Some Liverpool supporters booed the national anthem at the FA Cup final back in May
The group posted: ‘Everyone attending tonight’s match, please show respect and observe the minutes silence.
‘You probably think that any backlash won’t affect you but it will affect us and family members with the increase in abuse over Hillsborough.
‘Respect costs nothing and that goes both ways.’
Sir Kenny Dalglish, who was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2018, backed the group’s message by also encouraging fans to pay tribute to Her Majesty.
The former boss and club legend quoted the group’s tweet and said: ‘Brilliantly put. I hope everybody at Anfield can respect these wishes tonight.’
Current boss Klopp has insisted he has no fears of a repeat from the Liverpool faithful and believes they will show respect, just like they did to Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo last season after the tragic death of his son.
‘I don’t think our people need any kind of advice from me for showing respect. There are plenty of examples where people showed exactly the right respect.
‘One which surprised me – and I was really proud of that moment – was last season when we played Manchester United around a very sad situation with Cristiano Ronaldo’s family. And that is what I expect.
‘For me, it is clear that’s what we have to do. That’s it.’
Klopp added: ‘She is the only Queen of England I ever knew. I didn’t know her, but the things you can see, she was a really warm, nice, loved lady and that is all that I need to know.
‘I respect their grief a lot and that is why I will show my respect.’
Liverpool fans took part in a minute’s applause for Cristiano Ronaldo earlier this year following the tragic death of his baby son
Pundit Graeme Souness has also pleaded with all football fans to respect the minute’s silence in memory of Her Majesty, while he also has insisted that the reputation of Liverpool could be ‘tarnished for a long time to come’ if they don’t respect the Queen ahead of their Champions League encounter.
‘I personally would have liked something stronger [from Klopp]. It comes down to you’ve got someone who died, which is extremely sad for the whole nation,’ he told talkSPORT.
‘He’s got to remember, it’s the name of Liverpool Football Club that will be tarnished if anyone misbehaves tonight, if they show any form of protest.
Graeme Souness says the reputation of Liverpool will be ‘tarnished’ if they don’t show respect
‘Liverpool will be tarnished for a long time to come.
‘Someone has died, our Queen has died, show some respect. That woman was such a loyal servant to our country for 70 years. She was just a young woman when she came to the throne. For me, she’s been faultless.
‘For any Liverpool supporter, for any football supporter, to show disrespect at this time would be unacceptable. Someone has died.’
Souness added: ‘If you are not entirely on side with what I’m saying, just think of the football club. Go there tonight and support your football club by showing respect in supporting your football club.
‘If you show disrespect, you are going to damage the name of Liverpool throughout the world. That’s what you have to think about.’
All the attention will be on Liverpool fans at Anfield and whether they show their respects to the longest-reigning monarch in the country’s history following their history of booing the national anthem due to an anti-royalist sentiment among some parts of the city.
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