Somerset Cricket Club has moved quickly to ban those responsible for the attack on the Dandy Town bus after the Premier Division football match in the West End on Sunday.

Club president Alfred Maybury told The Royal Gazette that he does not believe the incident that left a Dandy Town player injured was gang-related, but rather was perpetrated by “young people in Somerset who are creating a nuisance of themselves”. He also apologised to the Dandy Town players and minibus operator, adding that the club is working with the Bermuda Police Service to ensure reparations are made.

It comes as police urged football clubs to make efforts to tackle the gang and gun culture around the sport, and to remove players who are known to have gang affiliations.

“My understanding is that it was totally unprovoked and on behalf of Somerset, we want to give apologies to Dandy Town as well as the operator of the minibus service,” Mr Maybury said.

“We’re extremely disappointed with those young fellas that engaged in such foolishness and Somerset will be taking very strict steps in that they will be banned from the grounds of Somerset Cricket Club.

“I hope that they enjoyed that football game because it’s the last game they will see at Somerset.”

Mr Maybury said they “have an idea” who is responsible, adding: “We are of the belief that it’s the same young men that did a similar thing last year — and they were warned.”

He added that they would be sent official notifications banning them from the club. Should they attempt to attend the match tomorrow between Somerset and PHC, he said they would not be let in. “If they hop the fence, they will be escorted off the grounds,” he said.

Mr Maybury added that the club is working with the police to ensure that whoever is responsible “for damage to that vehicle pays for it” and that they are looking into whether the incident was caught on camera.

“We are always working the police,” he added, emphasising that Somerset Cricket Club and the BPS have an “excellent relationship”.

Mr Maybury also said online comments about the police had been “grossly unfair”, explaining that the club does not hire officers but that the BPS deploys officers according to their intelligence.

Furthermore, he said the club is “taking steps to have more of our membership involved in being stewards of our grounds” to help prevent instances of antisocial behaviour and identify the culprits.

Acknowledging that people are “somewhat hesitant” to attend football games, he also encouraged other clubs to take a stronger stance to eradicate antisocial behaviour.

Assistant Commissioner Martin Weekes said it was imperative that clubs took responsibility for their grounds by ensuring adequate security measures were in place.

“It is the responsibility of the individual clubs to provide security at scheduled games by ensuring that adequate security and game stewards are in place to ensure the safety and health of spectators, officials and athletes,” Mr Weekes said. “The Bermuda Police Service is able to meet with any club that wishes to avail themselves of crime-prevention advice, and the Ministry of Public Safety co-ordinated Joint Event Safety Team is also available to meet with clubs and event organisers to help them plan safe events.

“Clubs should also be mindful of the need to consider excluding persons involved in the gang lifestyle from their team rosters, as to not do so not only puts the rest of the team at risk. It also potentially exposes the club to liability should things go wrong.”

Responding to complaints from the bus driver and Dandy Town officials that police officers had left the premises before the game ended, Mr Weekes said the BPS “deployed a number of officers, including armed resources based on requests from the BFA”. He added that included “concerns around some members of the visiting team, and officers maintained a consistent presence at the field for the duration of the game”.

“The Somerset Cricket Club is responsible for security at all scheduled games. Security for this game did not include the hiring of extra duty police officers. Following the game and after the approximately 60 fans in attendance had left the grounds, the BPS received a report that a bus containing visiting players had been damaged. Police officers met with the bus driver to investigate this report. However, no one on the bus was willing to assist the BPS in their inquiries.”

Earlier yesterday the BFA released a press statement condemning the violence after the game. “This is a deplorable incident and the BFA have launched a full investigation into the circumstances that led to it and events after it occurred,” the statement said.

Anyone with information that could assist the police should call 295-0011 or the confidential Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-8477.