Yesterday’s statement by Celtic was clear and unambiguous. The club are aware of reports of ill-treatment of supporters by police and have an established process in place to handle concerns, directed through the umbrella Fans Against Criminalisation Group (incorporating Association, GB, Affiliation, Irish Association and Trust). Two complaints have been received and actioned since December, which sounds like we have an under-reporting issue.
I am very pleased they have committed to form a Complaints Panel, with representatives from the support and the club. We are the one family so there is no need for the club to manage complaints, the support is more than qualified on this matter. This is important as it gives supporters oversight and ensures the club cannot act behind supporters’ backs on such an important issue, which should ensure that going forward matters are dealt with properly.
This is the response I wanted from Celtic.
Celtic also suggest accusations they have targeted supporters are “without foundation”, asking “What would be the Club’s motivation for being involved in activity which targets or victimises supporters? It is simply not true. It does not make sense.” It makes no sense, of course.
Statements from the Green Brigade on Saturday, and the Affiliation committee (who believe they were referred to in the Green Brigade’s statement) today, raise some real concerns.
If, as the Affiliation suggest, “In recent weeks have seen finger pointing, whispers, rumours and lies aimed at organisations and individuals within them from sections of our own support”, we have a poison in our midst.
These matters are important enough (to me, anyway) for all parties to require clarification. Get whoever said what to whom about whoever in a room together. You will soon find out who has the cojones to look everyone else in the eye, and you will find out who is damaging your football club.
Lest we forget, these matters are a result of First Fantasist Alex Salmond’s Offensive Behaviour at Football’ Bill. The consequences of which were predicted by Fans Against Criminalisation Group, as well as Celtic, who in their written submission to the Justice Committee (sic) said as much:
“The legislation potentially discriminates against the football supporter by reason of that person being a football supporter. It criminalises him or her for being a football supporter and not only because of the nature of his or her behaviour. In other words, exactly the same behaviour could be deemed illegal if performed by a football supporter, while not constituting an offence by anyone not participating in a football environment.
“An offence of “offensive behaviour“ and the test of the reasonable person, are introduced in section 1(2) (e). This test is extremely wide and creates considerable uncertainty over what is or is not acceptable.
“If this offence is to be introduced notwithstanding our comments above, clear guidelines should be published by the Lord Advocate to explain what sorts of conduct are considered as offensive or unacceptable. The potential for confusion in the absence of clear and consistent guidelines is potentially limitless and runs the risk of the law becoming unenforceable, or brought into disrepute.”
The Scottish Government passed sloppy legislation and put extraordinary funds into a policing project which only serves to make them look clueless.
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Auldheid
‘The question why some folk were turned away is one that the Complaints Group should be looking at if/when a complaint is made to the group.’
On Saturday we had a number of individuals refused entry to CP and when asking stewards the reason why were told to ‘contact the club’.
If anyone is to be suspended from CP for one game then surely they have to be informed in writing prior to the game as to the reasons for this, and also have a right to appeal?
Celtic knew of the bans prior to the game yet still refuse to answer the question as to how/why this was allowed to happen.
The club know the names of the people refused entry. How about contacting them to explain the situation and how it came about, as a starting point?
This Complaints Panel is a waste of time until Celtic start taking some responsibility for their actions in this PR disaster.
South Of Tunis
14:36
Did she say exactly what the guy’s problem is?
Are people like him ready for the real world?
“We’re the famous Glasgow Celtic and we’re eating Creme Brulée”
He said, we said, you said, they said …
In a world in which nothing can be hidden, you have to make sure you have nothing to hide.
If I travelled from where I live to CP to find I’d been refused entry for the game without prior notice, I would sue the barstewards for my expenses and the refund of the cost of the game, pro rata, you understand.
monteblanco – 14:28 on 19 February, 2013
Did they CSA not release a statement yesterday stating that they were not at any such meeting?
weeminger
that was the Trust (I know, I know, more characters than Eastenders)
All 3 have released statements, none have denied the claims by the GB.
RCs twice as likely to be jailed but an RC supported club and club with Irish/RC links is on an even par with Rangers for arrests?
“Evening up” Christine Grahame wanted?
sannabhoy
12:36 on
19 February, 2013
For anyone interested , The Kano Foundation is presenting a special , one-off edition of “I’m no a Billy , he’s a Tim” .
Interested , drop me a line to sannabhoy@thekanofoundation.com
Details: 6th April 2013 , 8pm , Kerrydale Street.
HH
Sanna
…………….
Sounds like a great night, I’ll let ye know if we can make it.
V
How stupid are the polis,? Facebook is one of the first places they look to get updates /background info on people.
!!Bada Bing!!
Wsa that really a serious question?
philvisreturns
14:18 on 19 February
musters – —I don’t see how you can state that as a fact. You’re right tho, plenty do adopt that somewhat conflicted position.
It is a fact though, if you believe polling data and historical voting patterns.
================================
Where are these facts or polling data? Celtic fans, eligible to vote, travel from all over Scotland? Just re-asserting your position without any evidence doesn’t make it “fact”.
Celtic First .
No indication re the guy’s” problem “. Told he has no understanding of Scottish history whatsoever and he’s all very Brigadoon ..
There is an article by a lower division club, outlining the fact that they have a better attendance record than Celtic this season.
I am not making this up. The infantile article is over 1000 words long.
Get this; I don’t remotely give two hoots about attendance. I don’t care about flavour of pies, colour of toilet tissue, who owns a better training ground, Stadium, umbrella stand or cheese grater. I look for a successful team on the park.
Ten Men Won The League.
Two points.
1.As I indicated I agree folk should be told in advance and wonder why this was not done. Could be more than one reason but that would be what would come out if a complaint is made.
2. It will have been a complete waste of time if having created an avenue to resolve issues properly it is not taken.
There may be many reasons for targeting individuals, lets not judge either the judge or accused until we know.
weeminger,
correction…I don’t think the CSA have released a statement, but the Affiliation and Trust did. Anyway, before people get utterly bored (there is a game on tonight after all, and should be the focus imo) here is the link from KDS where the Affiliation seem to be clarifying on their statement.
http://kerrydalestreet.co.uk/single/?p=12061578&t=8776225
monteblanco – 14:46 on 19 February, 2013
Thank you for the clarification.
Philbhoy-dim to the extreme.
tictaewin
as someone said on here:
‘Its like a guy being held back 3 years at school boasting about being the biggest boy in the class’
Wish I thought of that
Boab 1888,
cheers, meant to cancel espn ages ago but called there and got it off. Also said I was thinking on cancelling sports & movies, I only got three months sports half price, but better in my pocket I suppose! I’ve had the full six months sports & movies before, and also currently got a line rental discount for a year so that’s probably stopped me getting 6 months this time
Ten Men
I am not discounting that it has been a PR disaster if proper procedure or even manners in procedures absence were not followed.
I used to argue with my team that how something was done was as if not important as doing something, no matter how good the justification felt.
Repost from Friesdorfer
21:02 on 17 February, 2013
So, “3 members were arrested to be charged with a minor breach of the peace offence which quickly turned into offensive behaviour at the football leading to banning orders” – and “although we did receive one (email) prior to the Juventus game with an agenda that in no way mentioned any of the concerns that we outlined. We advised that we were not prepared to discuss anything any further with them until our initial request was granted”.
What occasioned the ” breach of the peace” to become “offensive behaviour at football”?
Is dialogue a “2-way street”, if one party declines to participate?
Any thoughts?
—————————————————————————————————-
The devil is in the detail – we must have details to back up allegations. It would be beneficial for all concerned for these points to be thrashed out around the table by relevant parties. If person x was refused entry to section y at x time on b date, let us have all this itemised and aired. The personal information can easily be anonymised.
It’s good to talk, to coin a phrase.
as if not MORE important
Jim Spence trackside in Perth……………………………………..
kilbowie kelt 13:54on19February,2013
So it looks like the new legislation is operating pretty much to plan. It looks like the SNP have now achieved near parity on the arrests figures. This, of course, hides the relative seriousness of the offences.
S
BBC Alba full match delayed transmission 10.00pm…………………………………………..
to be equally as infantiel, does anywhere in the 1000 word piece by lower division club mention the guy was one of the 3500 at the lowest ever attendence?
Long live The GB.
Plenty EPL clubs would love to have a group of supporters as passionate.
It’s not a crime to love your football team.
Yet.
Paul67 et al
If anyone of the Unionists on here believes that, previous to the SNP government, the Glasgow Police lacked legal powers of arrest before, during and after football matches, then they have been spending too much time at George Square in Glasgow protesting about the Union Jack not being flown over City Hall in er Belfast. Deluded fools one and all. What the new legislation has done is aggravate the problem. Football fans in Scotland have been treated differently (legally) since 1981, and the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act, an act that enabled the arrest of at least one member of the Green Brigade late last year, on the charge of possessing a bottle of water. I have been at games where hundreds have been arrested, and they were not all Celtic supporters that is for sure. The new legislation continues that discriminatory trend. The Green Brigade appear to have a prima facie case against both Celtic PLC and the Glasgow Police, but as Saltire en Sevilla has pointed out they need to provide as much information as possible regarding that harassment. Celtic will not be able to address individual complaints against the Police, those are dealt with by the IPCC, but they can and should address the question as to whether they provide information to the Police that facilitates the arrest of supporters after the fact, at home, and at work. Or party, in some cases, to intimidation.
Sevco shop at Glasgow Airport Now Open for Business
http://i45.tinypic.com/21eopec.jpg
For those of you interested in the GB debate, The HomeBhoys recorded a podcast last night with 2 members of the GB who give a detailed account of the issues they have been facing.
The show will hopefully be available later on today from Hail Hail Media.
I will post links up later when it is available with instructions on how it can be accessed.
BB
What’s Gaelic for ‘lateral movement’?
The Celtic family spat has obscured not only our fine performance on Saturday but also cast a cloud of distraction over tonight’s game in Perth.
Neil and his team will be looking for their 7th win in a row in SPL matches this year.
In the 6 matches to date we have scored 22 goals. This augurs well for a goal-fest tonight.
Live coverage will be available to overseas fans on Celtic TV.
And “No” I am not Tony Hamilton’s stand in.
Auldheid
Agree on the points you made earlier.
It is going to take a peacemaker to bring both groups together. Someone that both groups will know and respect.
Post a picture of your Dog
The famous/infamous “bouncey” done by the members of the Copeland Road stand and HM Services personnel is exempt from censure on the grounds that the movement is vertical as opposed to lateral I presume?
bournesouprecipe
We have had a few wearing the hoops over the years. :-)
musters
13:46 on 19 February, 2013
‘Staggering to hear Celtic supporters turn a discussion about arguably flawed SNP legislation into a wider pro-British union point.’
Arguably flawed?
Arguably?
Are you a member of the SNP?