Incitement to attack Celtic players and fans shows they are dangerously out of control
At the best of times they're unpleasant – a “permanent embarrassment and an occasional disgrace,” as one journalist famously said of the club they commemorate.They set out to offend and sometimes achieve the notoriety they are seeking with the crudest displays of anti-Irish and anti-Catholic bigotry.
The Union Bears are a group of people who you wouldn't leave alone with sharp objects, never mind an egg and a microwave,
But, when those who are motivated by little other than being noticed and don't get the attention they crave, they can quickly move towards becoming dangerous.
And that appears to be the case with their fans' march before Celtic visit Ibrox on Sunday (or the “match against the Fenians”, as they put it).
Forget the obvious copycatting of the Green Brigade with their Corteos – no one has a monopoly on walking the highways (and many of the Union Bears are will be experienced street-walkers).
But the banner calling on supporters to take to the streets “in dark clothing” carries a clear incitement to violence against Celtic supporters and/or players.
The “Goodnight, Green White” has a silhouette image of someone wearing a green-and-white hooped jersey being kicked in the head, which could only reasonably be interpreted as encouraging physical assaults.
This should particularly concern the Scottish Football Association, given the number of incursions by fans of The Rangers in recent years, especially in light of the rioting at Hampden after the 2016 Scottish Cup Final.
There can be no excuses for Rangers continuing to accommodate this group of dangerously out-of-control thugs and Police Scotland must take all necessary measures to prevent threats to public safety.
The time to act on that is now, when the incitement is so explicit as it is with the Union Bears' poster.
Waiting until after the called-for assaults have taken place is not an option.
Ironically, as many will be aware, the image they chose to adapt is a famous one with Anti-Fascist Action (AntiFA) groups for years (you can read about its origins here) but it's not the first time that extreme right-wing hate groups have missed the irony of their own messages.
But, while the march has, as with most Union Bears activities, been met with mockery, the potential consequences are serious.
There is no place for this in football and there is no place for this in Scotland.
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10 comments:
Why haven't the police banned it
Coz the polis are Huns anaw
They are a joke,only fans group to get relocated when opposition come to visit
Will be easy for them
Green brigade get bad press and club have run ins. This mob union arseholes are out of control. When is the sevco the police the press in this country going to get a grip. It's one of the worst biggoted countries in the world and blatant about it
All of them? Do you really believe that or are you at the wind up?
We as Celtic fans should form a group including professional people to challenge the police, media and SFA all the time. Like their home and away games and their bile bigoted sites, otherwise nothing will happen. Could be a good idea to get someone to video/pictures when they start and the end of their walk.
"We as Celtic fans should form a group including professional people to challenge the police, media and SFA all the time. Like their home and away games and their bile bigoted sites, otherwise nothing will happen. Could be a good idea to get someone to video/pictures when they start and the end of their walk."
While I can understand the feeling, I think it would be counterproductive to start spying on them. it is Police Scotland's job to monitor groups like this.
However, a broader group to represent Celtic fans' interests would be a good idea.
Interesting note concerning the oh so saintly green brigade who launched an attack on the Dalmarnock Arms a pub that has strong Rangers ties you are not whiter than white on this topic for sure.
I usually ignore seemingly-spurious accusations as it is invariably a waste of time.
However, I wasted a bit of time Googling "Green Brigade" and "Dalmarnock Arms". Guess what!
No results.
I don't approve of bigotry or thuggery in any form and I call it out when I see it.
I have also criticised the Green Brigade, certain other Celtic fans, players, coaches, managers, executives and directors, when I have seen fit.
But, as today's piece on the reaction of some fans of The Rangers shows, this whataboutery doesn't wash, anyway.
A bunch of clowns with more Neo-Nazi connections than neural links is planning to march tomorrow, having chosen a logo of someone in a Celtic shirt getting kicked in the head.
I'm sure that no one needs reminded that Scott Brown was attacked on the Ibrox field of play or that the extremely-excitable fans of The Rangers have a recent history of on-field incursions, some of them violent.
But, whatever criticism is levelled at anything to do with the self-professed "peepul", there will always be someone who responds with: "Aye, but the Green Brigade", and some story that they probably believe because they want to.
The irony is that many fans of The Rangers agree and have taken to Follow Follow to say so.
Of course, many others said: "Aye, but the Green Brigade!"
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