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Outgoing First Minister’s selective criminalisation

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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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  2. The Battered Bunnet on

    HT

     

     

    We’ve been over this ground umpteen times in the past months.

     

     

    Celtic’s written evidence to the Justice Committee is clear cut, as is the oral evidence given.

     

     

    In the most critical reading of the situation, the very worst that might be stood up against Celtic is that they were naïve.

  3. jamesgang on

    HT

     

     

    Not pedantic at all me thinks. (Not this time anyway!!! ;-)

     

     

    I think/fear there’s significant duplicitousness lurking behind subtle use of language and a fractured timeline.

     

     

    At best, the club’s senior management felt bounced by a kangaroo court unravelling (or ravelling?) around them. At worst…. doesn’t bear thinking about…

     

     

    There has been and remains a lack of resolute public support for those too many celtic supporters who have victimised through this police scotland tool (and I don’t mean dear Sir SH…mibbee I do!)

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  4. jamesgang on

    TBB

     

     

    I’ll grant you that might well have been the case.

     

     

    Time for some more resolve in more recent times though, wouldn’t you agree?

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  5. kitalba on

    Weeminger:

     

     

    Mate historically I would agree with you but again I honestly think that those south of the border are more aware and caring of their responsibilities.

     

     

    The Queen going to pay homage in Dublin. The Queen inviting the Irish head of State for a State visit. The British Government apologising for Bloody Sunday. The Irish being invited – and given the place of honour – at Cenotaph. Britain bailing out Ireland with how many billions. I’m not naive enough to think it was all for purely altruistic reasons but we most definitely are moving in the right direction.

     

     

    I believe that Scotland’s children will be best served from within the union but I am not adverse to one day Scotland being a truly independent country but I don’t think I’ll live to see it.

     

     

    I think that if the SNP gain power in Scotland the OB Act will stay on the books. I believe if they don’t the Act won’t.

  7. kitalba on

    The Battered Bunnet:

     

     

    I am aware of some of that but not all. Without reading on it any opinion from me would be crass.

  8. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    HT @ 15:56

     

    That was the problem with the GB banner. It was brilliant. Unfortunately, the population is not so the message only reached the converted. TBB`s would, I believe, reach a far greater audience.

     

     

    JJ

  9. connaire12 on

    BGX

     

     

    I have just reread the OB act and I can find no reference to the law applying only to those who reside in Scotland. Perhaps someone more qualified can enlighten us on this matter. The only out I can see is if the Minister takes some power to himself to state that non -residents are exempt.

  10. kitalba on

    Hamiltontim:

     

     

    Celtic belatedly opposed the Act. Likewise Rangers. But too late for both of them.

  13. coolmore mafia on

    mickbhoy1888

     

     

    As for the OBB itself I unashamedly repost from last week the figures gathered from its enforcement in the last 2013-2014 financial year. It appears we are trailing well behind from that other lot from across the city. How you perceive it is another matter.

     

     

    http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2014/06/8566/4

     

    >>>>>>

     

     

    Whoa there!!! This doesn’t fit with the narrative. This seems to suggest that proportionally, Celtic fans are arrested less than almost any other fans in Scotland for being offensive. 22% of arrests yet we have about 33% of the total supporters attending football games.

     

     

     

    Whit about that nasty scot gov, the snp, polis scotland (the best wee bigoted country in the world)? Whit about the protestant conspiracy to victimise us?

     

     

    can someone explain whit is going on here?

  14. An Tearmann on

    John Reid personifies the labour party

     

     

    a confused mess.a party like the hun,have only a one sided memory.

     

    no substance,a marketing exercise in trying to get middle class ‘me,myself and i shysters,

     

    and they will fail next time too,with a horse called ED

     

    The SNP are rightly getting it in the neck for a peice of skank legislation.

     

    legislation that gives me the boke

     

    much in same way labour politicians in glasgows 7 poorest seats voted to CAP welfare benefits.

     

    hypocrisy!

     

    rant over

     

    HH

     

    teatime

  15. kitalba on

    The Battered Bunnet:

     

     

    The High Court of Justiciary would have been Scotland’s court of last resort, we’d have been out of Europe.

  16. Hamiltontim on

    TBB

     

     

    I’ve just been looking at the link supplied by Weeminger. It states that written evidence from Celtic FC can be found on P.58 but for some reason when I click on this it only takes me back to a parliamentary page. I’ll keep trying.

     

     

    As for the oral evidence where can I find this? It concerns me greatly that Celtic made no official, public comment on the Bill until it had received Royal Assent, dozens of Celtic supporters had been arrested under its powers and 3,000 Celtic supporters had converged on George Square to voice their opposition to it.

     

     

    I’m fully aware that you disagree but at the very least the club should have made known their feelings known earlier than 2014.

  20. weeminger on

    Hamiltontim

     

    16:22 on

     

    19 November, 2014

     

     

    I think there may be other references, but I also think my view that Celtic were quite strongly opposed in the end, has come from what other posters had said.

     

     

    Ultimately neither the club nor Rangers would have been able to halt the legislation altogether, and in some respects I was surprised they were consulted at all.

     

     

    I think once it was clear that despite their reservations it was coming into law, it was wise to let it run for a while do get proof that in practice it was flawed before making comment. Otherwise it potentially just looked like throwing the toys out of the pram.

     

     

    I really believe the club has to tread a fine line where police matters are concerned, and I think they’ve stated their position reasonably well.

     

     

    Before anybody jumps in with them handing supporter information over. We’ve been through all this before. I’m very much against any fast-tracking that has taken place in that regard but ultimately the police can compel the club to hand over name and address details of anybody, assuming they have the right paperwork. The club should be ensuring this is done by the book on every occasion.

  21. The Token Tim on

    TBB,

     

     

    haha enjoyed your Maltese Apocrypha Parts 1 and 2.

     

    However i think we are worthy of parts 3 and 4 (work in progress though it may be) part 3 especially :-)

     

     

    CQN Deserves More

     

     

    HAIL! HAIL!

     

    Token

  23. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on

    BGX

     

     

    “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 …”

     

     

    And in that clear as mud consistency of thinking, you express why I get so annoyed at the one-upmanship of the Yessers.

     

     

    The Yessers say it is not about the SNP: it is about Independence.

     

    The Yes campaign was run and organised 90% by the SNP

     

    The fringe partners, Greens, Radicals for Independence, Sheridan’s lot etc; do not have the numbers to influence their major partners to present a plan for a Republic, a constitution or a coherent plan for finance post break-up. It will be SNP negotiators and SNP only.

     

     

    The Yessers say it is about Independence and not the SNP.

     

    Yet the SNP is a single issue party whose main USP is Independence. They have been and still contain people who are right wing, centrists and moderately left. They can change with the wind like the Liberal Democrats.

     

    If Independence was all that mattered and the rest can wait till afterwards, well the SNP have been offering you this since 1934 and in every part of Scotland since the 60s. If the Yessers were so devout and set on Independence, it could have been achieved by voting SNP at every election since they were born.

     

    You may, might, probably will, perhaps vote for the SNP as it seems is the intention of all disappointed Jacobite 45s and a fair few “betrayed and frightened” No voters.

     

     

    All of that begs the question…

     

     

    If Independence was the be all and end all of all you hold important, why did you not grasp it at every election that the SNP offered it to you?

     

     

    It does not seem that you were always as brave resolute and handsome as you portray yourselves to be now?

     

     

    Are the SNP offering a cure for cowardice as well as diarrhoea now?

  24. emusanorphan on

    St Mirren game on 14th December moved to 1pm and St Johnstone game on 10th January postponed at Celtic’s request.

  25. hebcelt on

    Any body know Celtic supporting Jim Murphy the potential Scottish Labour leader? Thought he,d be a shoe in to win but the more .I see/hear him the more he looks/sounds like a dinosaur/trumpet. Any comments? Hail Hail Hebcelt

  30. scotbrownsbhoys on

    kitalba 16.09

     

     

    Agree with all that, how people who’ve lived in Scotland all their lives suddenly think the minority are going to have a great say in how this wee country is run is baffling to me.

     

    Back to proper football and the reason for this blog, good luck Celtic against Dundee on Saturday and hopefully no too many injuries occurred from international break, hopefully Lustig not as bad as first thought.

     

    For some of the other stuff ,surely wings over Scotland have a decent forum.

  31. BGX on

    SFTB….i would like to see a Scottish Labour Party for Independence…i would vote for them…but…dont have one…so as a YES supporter..best bet for me is i think SNP..

     

    so i will PROBABLY vote for them…seems pretty clear to me.. Your point on why has this not been done in the past?…i can only talk for myself ..i grew up a Labour voter from a Labour voting family..INDEPENDENCE was never discussed…but things and people do change..so now an INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND Is what i would like to see happen…

  35. ohits on

    Bhoys just nipping in to thank you all for your best wishes , I’m on the bell on Friday in the Greenock club . HH

  36. The Comfortable Collective on

    Jimmynotpaul 17:18 on 19 November, 2014

     

     

    “Any reason given, why game v St Johnstone postponed”

     

     

    ———————————————————————

     

     

    Celtic got a money spinning friendly in foreign climes?

  41. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Ohits

     

    congratulations to you and your family on then birth of your grandson Archie..

  42. The Token Tim on

    TBB,

     

     

    I thought that would be the case, but I fear my imagination may not be a match for your prose.

     

    However, one will do one’s best.

     

     

    :-)

     

     

    HAIL! HAIL!

     

    Token

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