Almost one year after posting the article linked I believed it was time to re-visit this issue to provide the readers from around the world an update to one of the biggest issues surrounding Scottish football and its fans.
For new readers, The Problem? The harassment of Scottish football fans as they try to support their respective teams onto victory. This was all down to the bill passed by the SNP government to combat their views of sectarian problems that still run rife in Scottish society.
The fans themselves as stated in the article previous that they were entirely against the introduction of this bill with visual protests in the stadium and the gathering of Celtic fans in George Square, Glasgow to stage a picket protest.
However the protests held before the bill passed seemed to fall at deaf ears in the Scottish government as the bill was placed into action with 'FOCUS', a select band of the police to keep its lookful eye over Scottish football fans.
One method used by FOCUS is to use a video camera to record fans during football matches to gain evidence to press against the football fans. These cameras are present at every game and the views towards them have been very vocal with chants directed towards the camera that were recording them.
Another tactic from FOCUS is to arrest alleged 'criminals' at locations nowhere near the football stadium such as the workplace, at airports coming back from holiday and dawn raids in their houses. There are people as young as sixteen having knocks at the door to be arrested for their part in 'offensive behaviour' which is absolutely outrageous.
The bill is to be reviewed by the Scottish government soon to see how well it is doing and it seems the police are upping their game to provide more figures to keep the bill in action. However, the people who have been in court for breaking the stipulations of this bill and have pled guilty have had their case flung out of court due to lack of evidence also there have been instances in which the police have been over exaggerating people's cause of arrest.
Celtic fans have arguably been the most vocal of all Scottish fans against the bill with its ultra group the 'Green Brigade' facing the most bother with the police due to the bill. One of Celtic's fundamental beings is the Irish heritage that has ran in the club since the day it was formed. Part of the Irishness in Celtic is the songs of Irish history which are shown in song by Celtic fans mostly in the stadium by the Green Brigade. This has led to its members being arrested by FOCUS and being banned from Celtic Park until the case has been brought up in court, so much for 'innocent until proved guilty' eh.
Today, Saturday is a day at the end of the week that most families and friends spend time together with one another but not for a few Celtic fans. They were creating witness statements for help organization, 'Fans Against Criminalisation' on the events which took place in the Gallowgate an area in Glasgow last Saturday afternoon in which a march headed by the Green Brigade and like minded Celtic fans against the harassment that they have been facing and in support of the supporters banned from Celtic Park sporting t-shirts stating " The Banned Bhoys stand with us".
In this march a peaceful route through the Gallowgate towards Celtic Park before a pulsating match against Aberdeen was formed. Around two hundred to three hundred marchers gathered as one without any malice whatsoever and started their march towards their beloved stadium. But before the march could get properly underway Glasgow's finest coppers had entered the scene to no surprise of the marchers trying their best to stop any movement towards the stadium.
The march though gained little length before more police showed up to the scene. There were enough police in presence to arrest every single marcher and they could have done so which was the mindset of some of the marchers in attendance. Also in presence were needless police paramedics which proved that there was a belief amongst the lead co-ordinator that there were going to be physical bother. This was not the case and the behaviour of everyone marching was of a high order.
The pre-planning of the police was also shown in the method used to gain the upper hand towards the marchers. This method known as 'kettling' which was used to detain football hooligans of times past was put into action. A good number of Celtic fans managed to escape this by evacuating the area before enough police could maneuver their tactic, unfortunately a good number of these escapees were arrested and spent the night in the prison cells.
The police announced by megaphone that they were keeping the marchers under a law from 1986 which has a stipulation which said "could cause mass destruction to the public". This was met by a large round of laughter from the marchers with the odd person shouting that it was the police themselves causing destruction. After a while it was announced that they would let the marchers go three at a time. In a crowd of two hundred it was going to be a while before everyone involved in the march could be costless to leave.
Fortunately, everyone managed to leave within enough time to go and look the match in the stadium that they originally wanted to walk to without any trouble. According to a member of the Green Brigade there were a few members who did not want to enter the ground on the mindset that they could be arrested whilst in the stadium nor did they want to create the fabulous atmosphere in their section of Celtic Park when there were members, friends of theirs arrested in prison.
Now there are a series of planned events from 'Fans Against Criminalisation' including another protest of Celtic fans at George Square before the match against Hibs in the beginning of April. These could be met with more police harassment and I'm sure there will be more battles not just from Celtic fans but fans of other Scottish teams against the police brutality. As late as yesterday fans of the Scottish national football team produced a message banner stating 'End Fan Harassment, Kill The Bill' as Scotland played Wales in a World Cup qualifier. More people are now becoming aware of the situation in Scotland the average fan are now starting to make themselves vocal, it is now up to the clubs themselves how they deal with the harassment facing their fans, season ticket applications are starting soon and no action could lead to less money to the clubs when they are arguably needing it most.
Fans are football.