by Staff Writer
Monday, 2nd March 2026
Representatives form Liverpool fan group Spirit of Shankly have written to their club in order to enquire as to why West Ham United supporters had personal belongings and, in some cases, clothing removed prior to last weekend's Premier League meeting with West Ham.
Travelling fans attending the game were met at the turnstiles by stewards demanding any material critical of West Ham chairman David Sullivan and vice chair Karren Brady be removed.
For many fans - including minors - this meant red cards and flags featuring a 'BS Out' message were seized prior to entry. However for other fans it was a rather more sinister and controversial policy - with at least one child (aged just 13) ordered to remove their t-shirt in public.
Eye-witness accounts recorded the situation both inside and outside Liverpool's Anfield ground. However what nobody could agree on is whom the directives came from.
When confronted by Hammers fans after the game, one of West Ham's stewards insisted the decision to snatch 'BS Out'-related merchandise had been "down to Liverpool". Meanwhile another supporter was told the cards, flags and clothing were being removed due to being "inflammatory".
"The steward searching me on way on asked me if I had any 'offensive literature' on me," the fan told KUMB. "I asked, 'like what?' He said, 'anything with sack the board' on it. He told me the club told them not to let in fans with anything anti-board on it as it’s 'inflammatory'."
However some Liverpool stewards were keen to spread the message that the search and steal order had emanated from another source. "They told us that it was under instruction from West Ham," another travelling supporter confirmed.
And it wasn't just outside the ground in which the 'snatch' squads were utilised, according to another Hammers fan in attendance. "A guy in the front row, along with my six-year-old daughter, held 'BS Out' flags up on the 15th minute," he said. "Liverpool stewards tried to snatch it from them as apparently, it was 'offensive'."
Meanwhile West Ham United fan group, Hammers United, have also written to West Ham United demanding an explanation for the shameful scenes.
The situation at Liverpool was just the latest in a long line of unsavoury incidents involving the club's board and supporters.
A number of fans have been banned both temporarily and permanently from the London Olympic Stadium for showing dissent towards the chairman and his vice chair, while others were given lengthy, temporary bans recently for displaying a banner calling upon Sullivan and Brady to leave the club.
And while the club's board appear determined to stamp out any kind of dissent, supporters have argued Sullivan, Brady & Co would be better served directing their energies into saving the football club from relegation instead of waging war on those critical of their regime.
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