Unchecked bigotry on display in Scotland

An investigation has been urged into the Scottish Football Association (SFA) after the latest sectarian incidents at a Scottish Premiership march passed without any intervention by the organisation.

A giant banner threat was directed against Celtic FC at Rangers’ Ibrox stadium without any response by either the club or the police present on the day.

So-called Rangers ‘ultras’ unveiled the stadium-sized banner of a gunman pointing a weapon at Celtic supporters with the message ‘Take aim against the rebel scum.’

The image, posed by former Rangers manager Graeme Souness, is a reproduction of one of sectarian serial killer, UDA paramilitary Michael Stone, who infamously attacked mourners at a republican funeral in Belfast 1988, killing three.

Several items, including glass bottles, were also thrown into the Celtic goalkeeper’s penalty area in the second half amid sectarian chanting.

Last November, when Celtic played Hearts FC in Edinburgh, a giant image of Stone was also displayed on the big screen at the Hearts stadium.

The Scottish FA have been accused of refusing to tackle what has become an epidemic of anti-Catholic bigotry in Scottish football. In a podcast, commentator Liam Carrigan condemned the SFA:

“Any one of these utterly disgraceful acts would, in most civilised countries, result in criminal charges, fines and/or points sanctions for the team involved and probably government intervention to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

“That’s hatred, that’s incitement and it has no place anywhere in decent society. Especially not at what is supposed to be our country’s showpiece sporting event.”

In regard to the latest incident, he said: “There is no way a display of that size could possibly have happened without the club’s prior knowledge, approval and cooperation. Rangers knew this was in the offing, and they didn’t just endorse it, they actively encouraged it.

“Any denials or deflections that may come from Rangers in the days ahead ring hollow. They will, of course, go unchallenged by the tabloid press, as they always do, but we need to keep calling it out.

“Then there was the old songbook. The banned hate anthem “The Billy Boys” blared out across the entirety of the stadium shortly after Rangers’ opening goal.

“Why is it UEFA have sanctioned Rangers for this very song multiple times, yet the SFA have done nothing, and will no doubt do nothing again?”

“We saw the Irish group Kneecap get dragged in the press and by the UK government last week for far, far less than any of the despicable acts that went on at Ibrox today.

“A line must be drawn. If the government, the police and the footballing authorities won’t act, then fans must.”

Urgent Appeal