Police have made six arrests after a large fight erupted at the Epsom Derby, with footage showing racegoers brawling in front of horrified spectators inside the main grandstand. One man was left covered in blood during the altercation.
Incident Details
Surrey Police were called to the scene just before 6pm on Saturday. Witnesses reported that two men fought for several minutes despite attempts by staff and bystanders to intervene. The brawl then spilled to the ground, with another racegoer knocked to the floor. One man was later seen with blood covering much of his face and shirt.
Six individuals have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and affray. They have been released pending further investigation.
Witness Account
A witness said: “The response team and a few people were trying to split them up but they were just going at it for four or five minutes before the police got there.”
Official Response
A spokesperson for Epsom, owned by Jockey Club Racecourses, stated: “Our security teams and police on site responded quickly to an incident on Saturday. This matter is now being dealt with by Surrey Police so it would not be appropriate to comment further, other than to say that this sort of behaviour has no place at our racecourse.”
Event Background
Epsom Derby Day is a highlight of the British sporting calendar, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. However, arrests are not new to the event. Last year, four arrests were made across the two-day meeting, while 10 were arrested the previous year.
A crowd of 28,500 on the Surrey Downs on Saturday saw Christmas Day claim Derby glory amid wet and windy weather. The King and Queen made the trophy presentation to winning trainer Aidan O’Brien, jockey Ronan Whelan, and owners Coolmore.
