A nine-year-old boy required medical attention yesterday evening after Liverpool fans allegedly tossed a smoking flare into a section housing rival Chelsea supporters during their side's crucial 2-0 Premier League triumph over the Londoners.
The incident is said to have occurred after Senegalese striker Sadio Mane put Jurgen Klopp's side 1-0 to the good at Anfield shortly after half-time, with Chelsea supporters said to have subsequently removed the illegal item from the stand on to the pitch.
Liverpool fans threw a red smoke bomb into the Chelsea end at Anfield today... pretty much a day to forget all round for Chelsea fans... 😩 (@DPSD37) pic.twitter.com/3ty9TgqRyV
— The Away Fans (@theawayfans) April 14, 2019
Merseyside Police released a statement last night to confirm they were investigating.
The incident was reported to us at 5.40pm, shortly after LFC scored their first goal, that a flare was thrown from the upper section of the Anfield Stand.
Following this, at around 6.20pm, officers received reports that a young Chelsea fan, believed to be nine years old, had been taken to the first aid centre where he was treated by St Johns Ambulance staff after suffering a panic attack as a result of the flare.
At this stage, it is not clear who threw the flare, however investigations are ongoing and police are urging anyone with information to come forward quoting log 322 of April 14.
The mother of the child in question spoke to the Mail about what happened, lauding the attention that stewards and medical staff gave to her son.
Frances Stanley said that she "couldn't thank them enough" for their care of Donte, who has special needs with developmental delays.
Shortly after the smoke bomb was thrown into the away end, my son's eyes went quite red and itchy and very watery. He was coughing non-stop and sneezing which he wasn't doing just beforehand.
One of the stewards came over and asked if he was OK and then offered to get one of the paramedics over to have a look at him. They came over straight away then took us to the first aid room. They were a bit concerned about his oxygen levels so proceeded to give him nebuliser to open his airways. It did help as the coughing eased off and he calmed quite a bit.
My son has special needs with developmental delays. It was all a bit much for him and with him not understanding what was going on, he became very anxious.
After they were happy with his oxygen levels, they were happy to let us go so we could get back on the supporters' coach to get back to London. Unfortunately he was sick on the coach, which I believe is the after-effects of everything that went on.
Thankfully he seems to have made a full recovery.
Neither Liverpool Football Club or Chelsea Football Club have commented on the incident as of yet.
