Security criticised for aggressively tackling female pitch invader

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Security staff have been criticised for aggressively tackling a woman who ran onto the pitch during a football match in Tennessee in the US.

Footage of the incident was widely shared on Twitter – with critics arguing excessive force was used on the woman who sprinted across the stadium while the game had been paused.

The incident occurred after a major league soccer match between Nashville and Atlanta United had to be stopped as heavy rain was ravaging Geodis Park stadium in Nashville Fairgrounds on Sunday.

In the clip, a member of security can be seen grabbing the woman running across the pitch before pushing her straight onto the floor so she is lying on her back – with the member of staff holding his arm across her chest.

Another member of staff then gets involved to help his colleague forcefully pull the woman to her feet in the video which has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

In the footage of the ordeal tweeted by Stuart Holden, a retired American midfielder who now works as a TV pundit, an individual can be heard saying “Is she out?” after the pitch invader is tackled.

Critics hit out at the force used by the security staff on social media, with one user saying: “Seems like kind of an excessive takedown for someone (female) invading an empty pitch due to a rain delay. I would understand if it was during a game. But dang…”

Another added: “Seems like excessive force given that literally no one is on the pitch”.

While one more said: “No one wants to encourage pitch invasions but this seems a bit unnecessary.”

But other onlookers defended the actions of the security staff, with one person stating: “If you don't want to get tackled by security, stay off the damn pitch.”

It comes after two football fans in the UK were charged after a pitch invasion at the end of the Premier League game between Aston Villa and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Thousands of supporters could be seen storming onto the pitch in Manchester when the whistle was blown at full-time and City were confirmed as premium league champions.