Liverpool commemorates Hillsborough disaster as club captains make gesture 37 years on

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Liverpool.com or go back to LFC Live.

The club honored the memory of those fans who were unlawfully killed in the 1989 FA Cup semi-final through a series of tributes throughout Wednesday at AnfieldLiverpool paid tribute to those who died in the Hillsborough Disaster, 37 years on from the tragic events in 1989Liverpool marked the 37th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster on Wednesday through various commemorations across the club.Ninety-seven Liverpool supporters were unlawfully killed at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, and with each passing year, the clu and the wider soccer world continue to remember those tragically passed.The head coaches and captains of Liverpool’s first, women's, Under-21s and 18s teams visited the Hillsborough Memorial at Anfield to lay wreaths, including Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk. Flags will be flown at half-mast at Anfield on Wednesday, while a minute’s silence will be observed at 3:06 BST, to mark the moment the game was halted 37 years ago.READ MORE: PSG's touching gesture to Hillsborough victims and Diogo Jota before Champions League gameREAD MORE: Virgil van Dijk is right about Liverpool 'bare minimum' - what Arne Slot needs next is clearThe Club store at Anfield will close early, while 97 biodegradable balloons will be released from the center circle at Anfield later on Wednesday.“Our thoughts on this significant and poignant day, as always, are with all those affected by the tragedy at Hillsborough and we pause in memory of the 97 fans who will never be forgotten,” the club said via a statement.Liverpool also marked the occasion before Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain with a 97-mosaic displayed by the crowd.

Both teams wore black armbands, there was a minute’s silence before the game, and the matchday program front cover was dedicated to the 97.Liverpool and PSG observed a minute's silence before the midweek Champions League gamePSG paid their respects at the Hillsborough memorial at Anfield’s Main Stand on the day before the game, along with the tributes placed to the late Diogo Jota.Liverpool fans have campaigned for justice ever since the tragic events nearly four decades ago. A 2016 inquest found that each Hillsborough victim had been unlawfully killed and that no role was played by fans in causing the disaster.Today, the fight for justice continues, with campaigners calling on the government to introduce the “Hillsborough Law”, which would legally require public authorities to tell the truth and co-operate with disaster inquiries.

In Tuesday’s pre-match program notes, Arne Slot said the best way to honor Hillsborough victims would be by passing the law.Content cannot be displayed without consent“While almost four decades have passed since the tragedy occurred, the players and myself are fully aware that so many people – bereaved families, survivors, Liverpool supporters in general and many others besides – continue to be affected by the terrible events of that day.“Since becoming head coach, I have been able to hear some of their stories and the passage of time does not make them any less moving. It is the view of someone who believes bereaved families should not have to fight and campaign for the truth about how their loved ones lost their lives; it should be provided as a matter of course.“Tonight, we will remember the 97 and pay tribute to them, but it is clear that the best way for the country to honour them after all this time would be to introduce the law that the Hillsborough families and fellow campaigners are asking for.”