UK: Liverpool remembers Hillsborough victims

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal</p> <p>LONDON (AA) – The English city of Liverpool fell silent for a minute on Monday to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster, which claimed lives of 96 football fans.</p> <p>The deadly incident took place during the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough.</p> <p>A minute of silence was observed at 03.06 p.m. local time (1406GMT) across the city and church bells tolled 96 times.</p> <p>Liverpool city council announced that 96 lanterns are to be laid on the steps of St George’s Hall.</p> <p>A public service is also being held at the city cathedral as well as a private service at Liverpool’s Anfield stadium.</p> <p>At least 96 people were killed or fatally injured on 15 April 1989 in Sheffield’s Hillsborough Stadium when a stampede crushed Liverpool fans after one of the gates into the stadium was opened in a crowd-easing measure to let people pour into already crowded stands.</p> <p>The coroner’s inquest in 1991 ruled the deaths were accidental; however, the second inquest in 2016 said the fans were “unlawfully killed.”</p> <p>The anniversary was observed almost two weeks after the Preston crown court failed to reach a judgement on the prosecution of the match commander David Duckenfield.</p> <p>Duckenfield was accused of gross negligence manslaughter in the incident.</p> <p>The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will seek a retrial at a hearing scheduled for June 24.