Police escorted a father and his three children out of an A-League match last night after the man allegedly entered a restricted area so his daughter could use a disabled toilet.
[jwplayer UwzBAFkz]
Footage posted on social media during Sydney FC‘s semi-final clash with Melbourne Victory shows Rory Carroll talking to uniformed police officers at Sydney’s Jubilee Oval.
Carroll can be telling officers if he didn’t let his daughter use the nearby disabled toilet, they would have been forced to walk further around the stadium.
“The disabled toilet that my daughter uses is over there, they won’t let me take my daughter through,” he added.
“That’s what this is all about. And I tell you what, you guys want to kick me out because I can’t take [her].”
10 Uniformed Police and 4 security guards evict a father who wanted to take his disabled daughter to the closest toilet. @ALeague @9NewsSyd @SydneyFC #SYDvMVC #BigBlue #ALeague pic.twitter.com/MdXZSCv2Rq
— Tom Miles (@TomMile43729676) May 12, 2019
Subsequent footage shows Carroll and his family leave the stadium while surrounded by police. Other fans can be heard raining boos on the officers.
There were 10 cops to throw out a father and his 3 daughters out of the football. What an absolute joke @ALeague #SYDvMVC #BigBlue #ALeague pic.twitter.com/IXwrmB5Cu8
— John Miles-Craig (@aussiejcmc) May 12, 2019
In a statement obtained by Nine News, a NSW Police spokesperson said Carroll and his family were removed after a violation of “seating protocols.”
“Despite repeated requests by security, the man was unwilling to cooperate,” the spokesperson said.
“Police assistance was called, the man was spoken to by officers and after further refusal was escorted from the stadium with his family.”
Carroll later wrote that after being “assaulted by security [and] threatened by a senior police officer screaming,” he had to “console crying girls and put up with multiple police cars monitoring my movements as we left the stadium.”
https://twitter.com/CarrollRory/status/1127586513053634560
The incident has provoked a significant backlash online, with many Sydney FC supporters and other A-League fans calling the actions of stadium security and police into question.
Disgusting. As a mum of a disabled young lady we have had times when I have had to do a full change of clothing in a portaloo. The nearest disabled toilet was 2 km away. Hugs to this father and beautiful young lady.
— Im a blind trust.. (@larajay66) May 12, 2019
I am absolutely disgusted!! @CarrollRory I hope your daughter is okay. This is completely unacceptable.@FFA we demand you step in!! https://t.co/fhfWNdmHgw
— Donna Giuffre (@DonnaGiuffre) May 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/WSukkarieh/status/1127546270686408704
This is so wrong. This guy missed out watching his side get into the grand final. If I was @SydneyFC I get him and his daughter to Perth to watch the grand final in style
— Matt Jones (@matthewajones79) May 12, 2019
The incident has also caused A-League fans to question last night’s police action in comparison to their presence at other sporting codes.
MCG two blokes punch on no police or security for minutes. Sydney bloke tries to take his disabled daughter to a nearby toilet and 10 @nswpolice and security arrive to evict him. We seriously are losing it. https://t.co/Ao2JQRJMLp
— Shaun Garrity (@ShaunGarrity) May 12, 2019
Sydney FC won the match 6-1 and will move on to contest the grand final against Perth Glory on Sunday May 19.
