Three cheers for the fans fighting back by Kevin Rooney
How Scottish football fans are resisting the state’s violent clampdown on
their speech and behaviour.
Last Saturday, around 200 supporters of one of Glasgow’s two big football clubs, Celtic, attempted to march along Glasgow’s Gallowgate to Celtic Park before the game against Aberdeen, in protest against police harassment and victimisation. Within seconds, they were met by a massive force of Strathclyde Police, more than 200 officers dressed in yellow fluorescent jackets, with batons drawn. This force was supported by 30 police vans, scores of other vehicles, mounted police on horseback, dog units, a police helicopter and a camera surveillance team.
As police waded into the crowd, making 13 arrests, they knocked several young fans, and at least one elderly fan, to the ground. In one video clip, posted on YouTube, four burly officers can be seen forcing a young fan flat on his stomach with his face pushed into a puddle. As passing fans tried to film this brutal treatment, they were threatened with arrest for daring to film police action. Unfortunately for Strathclyde Police, videos of Saturday’s protest have nonetheless been posted on social-media sites, showing various incidents of ill-treatment.
The supporters targeted at the weekend are members of the Green Brigade (GB), a noisy, radical and pro-Irish republican section of the Celtic fanbase. Their refusal to stop singing pro-IRA songs, which some people find offensive, has earned them enemies in high places. They are despised by Scotland’s SNP government. GB had announced that it intended to march against police harassment and the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act 2012, which restricts what fans can sing, shout and do at games. But before they could set off, police moved in to stop them in a military-style operation. The latest examples of police brutality come on the back of lawyers claiming that many fans have been mistreated under the new football legislation.
Strathclyde Police regularly treat Celtic fans, and GB in particular, as scum. However, the police are not used to having to defend or account for their actions in the media. In this respect, their behaviour on Saturday backfired badly.
One of Scotland’s leading legal figures, Brian McConnachie QC, publicly condemned the police, even talking of a ‘police state’. He also cast doubt on the police’s official version of events, pointing out that the huge numbers of officers who arrived on the scene armed with cameras, batons, a helicopter and dogs were clearly not, as the police had claimed, just spontaneously responding to reports of a large gathering.
McConnachie was right to challenge the police’s ludicrous version of events. This was a premeditated act of police intimidation. Responding to the police attack, a Labour member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Neil Findlay, noted: ‘As predicted in parliament, the Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill is being used to criminalise working-class young men, with Old Firm [Celtic and Rangers] fans singled out.’ Another Labour MSP, Michael McMahon, ridiculed the police. He highlighted the irony of football fans marching against police harassment and then being met by the very victimisation and heavy-handed treatment that they were complaining of. MSP Hugh Henry accused the SNP justice minister, Kenny MacAskill, of introducing legislation that was being used to harass Celtic and Rangers fans on a daily basis.
For over a year now, I have documented incidents of police harassment of Celtic fans. One year on from the introduction of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, it is clear that those in power feel increasingly emboldened in their targeting and harassment of supporters. We have seen dawn raids and arrests of teenage fans, while other fans have been stopped at airports or questioned at their place of work. Social gatherings have been broken up or threatened, as the authorities have mounted all-out assaults on any resistance to the new law.
GB has borne the brunt of this intimidation because its members refuse to be told what they can and cannot sing. They are loathed by SNP politicians and police alike ( and what about the Celtic Board? – Ed), precisely because they refuse to comply with the latest diktat on how fans should behave at a football match. Ironically, the very thing that makes GB seem dangerous to the authorities is the same thing that makes them attractive to growing numbers of fans: a sense of resistance and a refusal to be treated like naughty schoolchildren.
Kevin Rooney
This article also available at
http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/13467/
Things would get much worse in an independent Scotland.
We should therefore be organising and actively campaigning against these fascists now.
That’s your opinion Tony and not one I would share. I see no evidence that an Independent Scotland would be fascist or as some claim anti Celtic fan or anti catholic. The Police actions against the Green Brigade are loathsome and need questioned but I dont believe it would lead to a fascist state.
I am a Celtic supporting SNP member, am an active Office bearer in the West Aberdeenshire branch and have seen nothing to back up the claim above that an independant Scotland would be more fascist… quite the contrary, Scotland is a far more socialist country than the rest of the UK and that trait would come to the fore!
Then you know nothing about how socialism works or how socialists, or the leaders at least, think.
Socialists want one big happy, sharing state and to have the kind of contentious opinions some members of the GB, or some Rangers fans, or any minority of outsiders for that matter, have will make the leaders uncomfortable as they want a single-minded mass of sheep to conform to their view of what a good member of society should be like. And they will use the law and heavy-handed policing to get their way.
For our own good, you understand…
Totally agree with your point Keddaw. As I fear Tony B missed mine, which was to assuage the fear that a fascist state would arise in Scotland under SNP. In truth I would want neither a communist nor a fascist state.
Reading the disturbing article by Liam Alane in my 20th April Alternative View made me go to see what Paul McConville thoughts were…
http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/the-green-brigade-and-strathclyde-police-what-are-the-rules-about-their-corteo/
I agree with him entirely, SNP make a major blunder with this legislation, but this legislation was not cited in any of the reported 13 arrests (YET). This was purely down to Strathclyde Police’s Mishandling of this incident.
Still certain Paul has the right of this, and SNP certainly do not seek a fascist state that oppresses Celtic Fans!
Usually I enjoy etims, but,
1- who says the SNP are anti- green brigade? Is there one single attributable quote from a SNP politician regarding them? This is in the heads of people, not fact. New legislation was an attack on all boisterous fans, not primarily green brigade.
2- I don’t want to hear anything about the IRA at Celtic park. The club as usual is being hijacked by a few ‘men behind the wire”. Why don’t these ‘republicans’ (though not scottish republicans, that’d be too rational) practice their politics in an appropriate place rather than at parkhead? Actually join a Republican Party, work for their beliefs through parliamentary changes etc. join Sinn Fein, SSP, swp etc. I suspect they are as much republicans as they are Catholics- ie purely for tribal reasons, to be able to act like neds, rather than practising Catholics and card carrying republicans. They do create a good atmosphere, but that’s it. It’s not like Che and Fidel were getting intimidated by strathclyde’ ‘finest’. And I’m not a Hun.
If you followed us on Twitter, especially last night, then you’d know we’re exhausted defending the SNP on this matter. That doesnt mean we dont champion the right of contributors to put up their opinion, even if we don’t agree. Debate is always welcome. If you want to expand and write a counter piece, happy to post.
1. I do – it’s pretty damn obvious
2 agreed.
Great piece mate, time for us to make a stand HH
Green Brigade: The envy of every supporter in Britain. All clubs attempt to emulate, none succeed. All Celtic fans need to support this group, as without them our once famous stadium will become a morgue.I have been a Celtic supporter for well 0over 50 years, and a season ticket holder for 28 of those years, and if our club does not support these fans against the intimidation they are facing, I WILL throw in the towel and give it all up.
I Alsohave had enough of the IRA stuff at our games,so pack it in and remember that not all celtic supporters are into this scene.We are an inclusive club,not an exclusive one with many different colours and creeds,please remember that.
Eddie, the fact that we’re an all inclusive clubs gives them just as much right to be their as you. Surely its contradictory to tell them to “pack it in” in the same statement of highlighting we’re a club for all “creeds and colours”? Whats the difference between them and say folk promoting “celts for independence” at celtic games, apart from the means in which they do it? It makes us who we are.
sailorbhoy,What WE have to remember is that not all celtic supporters are from Irish ,are Catholics or are happy at the club being used as a vehicle for the IRA .I do accept,unlike some supporters,that you have every right to argue and disagree with me.
Great article Titch.
The Green brigade are on the balance of things a definite force for good at Parkhead and have brought life to a stadium which was fast becoming Library like on matchdays.
That said i totally agree with the previous posts regarding the IRA chanting and the pseudo Republicanism espoused by the Green brigade. Celtic are and have always been an inclusive club and the signing of pro IRA songs is an affront to this inclusiveness. We have enough quality songs without this shite on matchdays.
I know its a serious subject, but everytime I see the logo of the Green Brigade i’m always reminded of the Mitchell and Webb sketch where one SS officer says to the other “I cant help but notice the skull emblem on our hats – does that mean we are the baddies?”
I dont mead that the Green Brigade are baddies, I just thought I would lighten things up a bit.
When I was a lad going to Celtic Park I used to go with a few of my mates or my brothers, not mob handed by marching up the middle of The Gallogate!
What else did they expect the Police to do? Just stand there and let hundreds of people with extremist political views totally disrupt the public highway with an illicit march? Had it been approved by the authorities? No.
No mention of the fact the march did not even ask for permission to go ahead with the council, which is partly why I believe it was dealt with so harshly by the police, also it gives the impression that trouble was exactly what the green brigade were after.
If the green brigade wants the complete support of every Celtic fan then they need to stop singing pro IRA songs which have no place at any football ground, I like the green brigade but despise this aspect of them.
Great article and glad we are not letting this slide. For me the main issue is the police harassment, I say that as someone who has traditionally been pro police in the grand scheme of things. They are abusing their authority and it needs to be stopped. I would prefer the GB refrain from any IRA related songs at Celtic Park, I am one of the keep it Celtic related supporters, but this is not about what they stand for, its about how they are treated as citizens by the police. And frankly I do believe the SNP are ultimately responsible for this, and I believe that they will have lost many potential votes for independence if they are the party we need to rely on.
at the juve game a punch was throwing by a stranger(big game man and drunk)not a policeman/woman to be seen but my son told me there were plenty round the GB taking videos-why?????
Will I be kettled when I vote note No to the ridiculous idea of allowing the police state to expand via an isolated Scotland. When I leave the polling booth having voted No will I be met by a madman wielding a truncheon and searching me for an offensive Celtic season ticket.
No to the snp.
Viva La Brigada Verde
So JFK, you’d rather be a subjugated citizen of the British crown?
Having lived in England YES
Guys, I’ve checked the SNP website and the reason SNP went down additional legislation was in response to 81% of Scots who responded to a poll and asked that Racism be stamped out.
Offensive behavior Act is just the wrong response though implemented for the right reasons. I have written to Alex Salmond complaining of how the clear abuse of powers by Strathclyde Police during the Gallowgate incident reflects terribly upon the SNP. I will publish the response I get on this forum.
I fear JFK is living in the past (like too many in this country) when he states he would prefer to live under British than Scottish rule. Most of us are now civilized and secular enough to have long since moved on from sweeping Religious bigotry (though it’s still there for all to see come marching season). Nevertheless, JFK has a point. Issues, attitudes and incidents (such as the Gallowgate) still need to be addressed… This is why I want to join whomever and help get to the bottom of this incident. On the face of it, it appears Strathclyde Police have some very difficult questions to answer!
Why is money spent harassing kids and not more sensibly on tax enforcement ?
Oh stupid me Celtic pays its taxes…………….
Good article. I travel from Belfast to games and the Strathclyde police make me nervous period. I do not envy anyone that’s comes against them in any shape or form. Our hotel room was burgled a few years ago in Glasgow and one of the cops was an absolute disgrace and a bully. Police state? Definitely going that way…..
Paul you must use the same legislation that they use to nail us,we in turn must respond in kind.It is all there for us to kick back at them.