Motherwell fan group Block E has revealed they will leave a section of the Fir Park stand empty for the opening exchanges of the clash with Rangers.
Michael Beale's men travel to Lanarkshire as they look to keep their unbeaten league run under the Londoner alive, while Stewart Kettlewell will hope to steer the Steelmen further clear of the relegation zone with a shock win on home turf. However, he will have to do it without a section of the home support in the John Hunter Stand with the group stating they have faced "concerning decisions" which have "impacted on our ability to give the team the backing they deserve."
They claim stadium access has been denied as they try to bring tifos into the ground, and also state that authorities have become unnecessarily involved with the supporter base. They have urged fans of Motherwell to follow them in their planned protest during the Scottish Premiership clash.
A statement from the fan group read: "After much deliberation, supporter groups in the end section of the John Hunter Stand have agreed to leave Block E empty for the first 15 minutes of the match against Rangers this Saturday. This is a decision that was not taken lightly and comes after a number of concerning decisions taken in recent months which we believe has impacted on our ability to give the team the backing they deserve.
- No stadium access following tifo requests.
- Further criminalising of Motherwell fans - names passed to the authorities and subjected to dawn raids.
- The club continuing with banning supporters despite legal charges being dropped.
"We have been inundated with messages of support and statements from fans who echo our concerns and we thank the wider fanbase for their overwhelming solidarity. We ask all fans who congregate within the end section of the John Hunter to follow suit and join us in protest.
"We will not tolerate Motherwell fans being unnecessarily arrested and dragged through the legal system, only for charges to be dropped at a later date or for said fans to be found not guilty of any wrongdoing. This is an astonishing waste of tax-pavers money, an unwarranted stress for the fans affected and their families, and certainly not something that should be facilitated by a fan-owned community club.
"Our aim is clear - we want to bring our passion and enthusiasm to match-days without harassment. It's time for change. Heavy Hands - Empty Stands!"
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