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Subject: Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill
Years: 2012-3
The Battle for Supporters Rights
The Green Brigade have generally had a very simplistic political tag behind their ideas. However, their commitment to actually take on ill thought out laws were to come to the fore. There are many different opinions on the Green Brigade amongst the support, but after 16 March 2013, the mass support was wholly behind them and their sympathisers after a disturbing set of events.
Following a law past by the governing SNP party (Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill), this shoddy new set of laws was to be an abuse of personal rights and gave the more nefarious minority in the police ample room for abuse of their powers. Before a 4-3 win over Aberdeen at Celtic Park, a large group of Celtic supporters (not wholly the Green Brigade) were on an informal peaceful march to Parkhead in protest at continued heavy policing on Celtic fans. They were kettled in by the police with no reason to do so as there was no violence or trouble beforehand or any messages of organised fighting. It was simply a very heavy handed act that raised unnecessary tensions. Young kids in the group were screaming and the police provocation was disgraceful and overdone. The pictures clearly depict this.
In fairness to the police, so as to give another side, there are understandable limit and rules governing marches with organised notice required for marches/demonstrations. However, even taking this into account, their reply was excessive and abusive of their powers and authority.
The media sadly initially kept this low profile which is unacceptable, this should have been big news, but it grew arms and legs with questions even asked over it in parliament. The police actions were attacking the free rights of many people. The move was directed ultimately against the Green Brigade but for what reason? There has NEVER been any violence or fighting orchestrated by the group. The worst they've done is a couple of contentious banners and some laddish chants at matches, and that's the truth. They have no covert agenda despite what some maverick journalists/bloggers like to make out (crass sensationalism and downright lies).
It's definitely not far fetched to state that the law and it's execution were an abuse by some senior officers sympathetic to Sevco just getting some punches in. Cries of a 'police state' manner of action have not been challenged. Thankfully some politicians took notice to try to table questions on this.
Recent events had seen constant monitoring of the group in their section of the ground, something that that group mocked by having fans across the ground take flash pictures at a point in certain games. One allegation is that a Green Brigade member was arrested in front of his family at an airport, with no charge. Others have been approached at their home by then police. For what? Nobody knows. Not one member of the Green Brigade had been charged and convicted of any crime connected to the group to the time of the march. It's a farce.
The group doesn't deny its quirky anti-establishment left wing politics, but that is all part of being young. They're really more occupied with creating banners and displays than trying to recreate any kind of Pythonesque People's Front of Parkhead.
Must add about the great response by The Celtic Trust group who have taken a lead in helping to combat this ridiculous bill. Both online and in traditional media, they have done a great job in making a mockery of the bill and its implications.
With the looking referendums, the ruling SNP has too much to lose on this one and have forced themselves into a corner. They'd made a farce of the situation for cheap fast political media gains.
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