I’m sure there are people all over England wondering why their manager is apologising for anti-IRA chants by England fans last night. Someone likely pointed out to Roy Hodgson that his fans were breaking the law in Scotland by doing so, hundreds, if not thousands, could be criminalised this morning.
Their names and addresses are known to the football authorities, the match was televised and the chanting received widespread media coverage. Police Scotland were all over the ground and had the England fans surrounded.
All this took place in front of the First Minister, whose government decided laws against bigotry and sectarianism left them unable to “equalise” fans of all colours, most of whom never chant bigoted or sectarian words.
Alex Salmond left the stage caring nothing that the police have no interest in applying his law on this occasion. It wasn’t designed to criminalise the English, it was to criminalise Celtic fans. If the Offensive Behaviour Act can be flouted in front of the nation, the police and the First Minister, without censure or action, it is an absurd nonsense. The SNP government has refused to debate a review into the Act, never mind repeal it. They are defending the indefensible.
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TBB @ 14:10
That was almost perfect. A more brilliant example of the absurdity of this stupid, prejudiced Act would be hard to find. Did you write it? Where is Part 1?
JJ
HT
Cheers. I’ll count that as a ‘smiley face’ stamp in my jotter :¬)
Geordie Munro @ 15:15
The majority by a lot.
Even if it were only a small percentage. The principle would be the same.
“Even if it were only a small percentage. The principle would be the same.”
Morrissey,
Oh gawd aye. Sorry for sounding if I was contesting this.
I was trying to gauge a figure as there appeared to be a large number garnered from here.
I suppose I coulda justa asked how many share holders signed up for it?
JJ
Thanks. It was part of a wee series of sketches I did on holiday last year. Part 1 was posted on the previous page.
Part 3 describes the bedroom scene with Halle Berry and Beyoncé Knowles, and isn’t suitable for the likes if this blog
Part 4, The Estrangement and Divorce, is a work in progress… :¬)
Good to see Malky Mackay get the Wigan job, had a feeling he would get the chance as soon as the local Wigan MP tried to tell Dave Whelan what to do.
Whelan deserves some credit for making a brave appointment just weeks after taking a brave stance in supporting James McClean
Malky had been hung out to dry at Cardiff, hope he is allowed to show us that he is still a decent football manager.
Tbb,
HT doesn’t do smiley faces.
You get a grumpy one or on a good day a could do better one. ;)
OHITS……congrats to you and yours ……welcome wee Archie ….it is a braw braw time to be a Tim….. :)))
braw
TBB
Comment marking these days dear boy, comment marking :-)
OHITS
Great news about wee Archie!
Best wishes!
Jamesgang
Earlier you informed the blog of Groupon’s marvelous deal on brogues, however you could not confirm if brown was an available colour. I can confirm that brown is available as part of the deal, and that this deal will surely be Groupon’s most establishmenty deal ever!
I myself am tempted. As The Honest Mistake will vouch, I have been known to sport a brogue or two…well, two specifically…
HT
But you’ve not taught them how to read yet!
Weeminger
Thanks for that link I’m going to have a look at it now.
I genuinely don’t want Paul’s article to be side tracked into a disagreement over whether Celtic were complicit in the Act’s implementation or not. I’m just delighted that the lack of clarity, the abuse of power that it affords the police and the manner it’s been utilised to criminalise the Celtic support is at last being highlighted.
To-day’s analysis by Paul of the latest episode of Scotland’s Shame is excellent. It deserves a wider circulation, otherwise we are just talking to ourselves.At least it shoul be sent to our Board, the S.F.A.,the English F.A., Police Scotland,political leaders at Holyrood and Westminster,Sir Tom Devine etc,etc.
davidopoulos
;-))
TBB.
Beyond hilarious!!!!!
HH jamesgang
GM
Comment mark for GM……Neebs to try harder :-)
TBB
Good, that way at least they have an illusion of personal intelligence until a more advanced stage! :-)
HT,
Vfunny mate.
10/10 :)))
Kitalba…a poster(westies) stated earlier that he was supprised so many Celtic fans voted YES as it was a vote for those that wish to discriminate against them….i stated that by voting no that was in my mind ,voting for the establishment that had infact discriminated against members of my family and i would hazard a guess at the members of many Celtic fans families..i did not vote SNP though i think i will in the next election as i wish to see an Independent Scotland…if this does transpire will i continue to vote SNP…i dont know…regarding the OBA.. ..do i find it nonsense..yes i do…would it stop me voting for SNP in the hope of an Independent Scotland…no it wouldnt….
Geordie Munro @ 15:25
I’d need to dig them out and look to get the exact numbers. A large number of CQN shareholders signed the requisition. It would not be possible for me to know what percentage of shares were from CQNers, as there is no way of knowing the number of share any individual has.
The largest number of signatures are not CQNers, although if it was not for CQN it would never have happened. I understand the curiosity but what role CQN played is not that important IMO.
My issue is ‘I’ believe that all share-holders and indeed non-shareholders (All the fans everywhere in the world) should be updated via the clubs official website.
Seems to me that another Ad highlighting the Stupidity of the OBAFTC would go down quite well. Even better would be if The Battered Bunnet`s offering could be published in Magazines/ `papers/ web sites on a national basis. I believe laughing at the mind boggling stupidity of the Act is more effective than a rational dismantling of it. Also, I am certain TBB`s suitably humorous piece would be well received by supporters of many other teams.
JJ
The Battered Bunnet 14:!0
‘The very vision of East kilbride elegance’
‘ make up melting in the slabber’
you’ve corrupted a mynah.
took me half hour to reply,just keep readin and laughin
thanks
:-)
HH
Geordie Munro @ 15:25
From memory: CQN 73 Total 213
We could have got hundreds more. We ran out of forms and stopped as we had more than enough to have the resolution raised.
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked
15:49 on 19 November, 2014
The Green Brigade produced a display at the game against AC Milan last year that went right to the very crux of the hypocrisy and inequality of this Act.
Unfortunately, many in Scotland, and even some amongst the Celtic support themselves, chose to focus on the iconic imagery of Bobby Sands and in doing so completely lost sight of the message.
Morrissey,
Cheers min. Ball park woulda been fine.
Fingers crossed it’s successful!!
Reading how the majority on here are totally against the OB and yet feel powerless to bring about any change in this offensive piece of legislation, I noticed the one person inquired about the possibility of having recourse to Europe. Would this be a costly operation or can we ask some Committee to investigate as it appears those on the other side did? Perhaps our legal experts could inform us about this?
HT…thank you both for your visit and for the vino. Hope you can come up with the goods re. the subject of our discussion. You may have emailed already, my apologies. I am having problems with Hotmail. I hope they will be resolved by tomorrow. HH.
Just read on twitter that you have to habitually reside in Scotland to be charged under the OB….
connaire12
You’re welcome sir and I hope the doctor is ok with the vino :-)
I’ve not had the chance to put anything together as yet but I hope to get back to you before the end of the week.
bgx
16:04 on 19 November, 2014
Just read on twitter that you have to habitually reside in Scotland to be charged under the OB….
—-
That’s ACGR and Hot Smokie free to sing what they want then!
FreeRepublicOfAngusCSC
HH jamesgang
GBX:
Thanks for the explanation.
I honestly believe, in my heart, my soul, and my mind, that a successful yes vote would eventually have resulted in the minority demographics of Scotland being subjected to increased discrimination without any recourse to an impartial and empathetic court of last resort.
I honestly believe the OB Act is a most stark illustration of what we could have been letting ourselves in for. That is what I honestly believe would have come to pass.
BGX@13:08
“Voted YES.for Independence…have never voted SNP dont know if i ever will…blah blah blah….”
BGX@15:46
“i did not vote SNP though i think i will in the next election as i wish to see an Independent Scotland…”
Did not take you long to make up your mind that you will vote SNP.
If we wait another 3 hours will you be back to not being an SNP man?
Kitalba…i do see your point ..lets disagree…be well..
kitalba
16:09 on
19 November, 2014
The only thing I would say against that, is that if you look at who was pushing strongest for a No it was precisely the same groups that would be most likely to discriminate against you.
The OB Act is an abomination and was instigated as a populist move to end the blight of Sectarianism at football – in the eyes of the majority who care not a jot for the intricacies of football supporting.
I’m not convinced that Labour and the Tories would have voted against if it wasn’t a political gesture ie in a minority led parliament I believe it still would have made it onto the books.
Kit
A couple of quick points:
The current Scottish Government, for all of its shortcomings, introduced The Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2010 and The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014, ground-breaking equality legislation in the UK.
The previous Scottish Government introduced S74 of the CJ(S) Act 2003 and the Scottish Commission for Human Rights Act 2006, which established the SCHR.
The current Westminster Government is proposing to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998 and legislate to remove the UK jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights.
Just saying like.
You know?
Weeminger
I’m not being pedantic here but in your initial response to MWD you claimed that Celtic ‘voiced their opposition’ to the Bill.
In the government document you kindly linked to and the footnote at the bottom of page 5, I can only see stated that Celtic ‘expressed reservations’.
Personally, I see a world of difference between these two statements.
I don’t believe that Celtic acted in any meaningful way to halt the Bill. Their attendance is noted at several of the JAG meetings where the introduction of FoCUS and the content of the Bill was discussed. Subsequently on 19th January 2012 the Bill received Royal Assent.
As far as I’m aware Celtic made no official comment until 2014.
SFTB…aw you took your time…i said …dont KNOW if i ever will..then i said…i THINK i will…no definitave assertion from me either way….sorry but i will say it like this”i have never voted SNP and i dont know if i ever will, i do think that in the future i might .and being honest i probably will as a means to an INDEPENDANT SCOTLAND’…There you go …
bazza67
15:04 on 19 November, 2014
Excellent article from Paul Hayward in The Telegraph re last night
——
Completely agree Sir.
‘ and England’s chosen ditty almost certainly reflected the venue: Celtic Park, home of Celtic FC, with their Irish Catholic association’
I wouldn’t be quite as sweeping as to say ‘England’s’ as he does but he hits the nail and a good few unreconstructed NF types on the head in the article.
HH jamesgang
lol :-)