Anne’s tireless work was instrumental in bringing about what was a watershed year for the justice campaign. Last September the Hillsborough Independent Panel published their report, confirming what bereaved families, campaigners and dedicated journalists had been saying for over twenty years: Liverpool fans were in no way to blame and many lives could have been saved if the emergency services’ response had been better.
In December we were honoured to give Hillsborough campaigners a Liberty Human Rights “Long Walk” Award – the first award they had received. In their acceptance speech they described how the disaster “showed what the state can do when they think people are powerless”. Anne’s extraordinary perseverance ensured that the voices of the victims can no longer be ignored and her courage will long serve as an inspiration.
