GLASGOW DERBY: CELTIC FANS CONCERNED BY POLICE ARRANGEMENTS
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
I’ve already made my personal thoughts on Celtic taking tickets for this weekend's Glasgow Derby clear.
My own view is that until concrete and enforceable assurances can be given for the safety of visiting supporters, we shouldn’t take any tickets for games at The Debt Star.
However, each individual, of course, has the right to make their own choices, and there are approximately 2,000 Celtic fans who will be at Snake Mountain on May the 4th, to, hopefully watch another Glasgow Derby Celtic victory.
Let us remind everyone else in Scotland why we are Champions.
Glasgow Derby Celtic Fans Arrangements Show Police Have Learned Nothing
However, we all know what happened last time these two teams played. Despite the game being at Celtic Park, it was home supporters who were subjected to the bulk of the excessive police presence.
Somewhere between 90 and over 200 fans, including many women and children, were kettled by Police Scotland and denied access to the stadium, thereby missing the game.
This cannot be allowed to happen again. Unfortunately, it seems Police Scotland have once again engineered a situation where such abuses of power could, indeed, take place all over again.
The visiting Celtic fans have been instructed to gather at a specified point, The Broomloan Coach Park, by 9.30 am, a full two and a half hours before kick-off.
The plan, police say, is to have fans in the stadium by 10.30am, which is when the home support will begin arriving.
I already have serious concerns about the safety of Celtic fans, and indeed any visiting supporters, considering the levels of thuggery on show at Ibrox every week, and the police and stadium security’s seeming collective helplessness in dealing with it.
In short, there is a sizeable, fascist faction within the Rangers support who think they can do what they like, when they like, to whomever they like, and face no consequences.
So, with that in mind, is it really a good idea to have the entirety of the Celtic support gather in the same place, at a pre-planned time?
If I was a knuckle-dragging ned looking for a fight that day, then the Police have just told me where and when ground zero will be.
And if it does all kick-off, in light of events last time around, do any of the visiting Celtic fans have any confidence whatsoever that Police Scotland will protect them?
Or will they be too busy kettling kids and harassing women as usual?
I feel sorry for the Celtic SLO in this situation. He has no power to change any of this, and has, in effect, been reduced to the role of messenger boy between the police, the fans and the club.
That’s not intended to belittle him or the tremendously hard work he does for fans.
Merely I’m pointing out that, as last time showed, he doesn’t have the authority to actually do anything about police over-reach.
And yet, if this does go the way I fear it might, it’ll be the SLO who will get bombarded with angry messages about it on Monday morning.
Also, there’s been no word yet on whether the police will once again deploy stop and search powers outside the stadium. The way this was, almost stealthily, announced last time should not be legal, even if, under Scottish law, it currently is.
I expect a similar, low key announcement of “emergency powers” towards the end of this week.
If you’re going to the game on Sunday, I hope you enjoy it.
I hope we will have nothing more to talk about on Monday than a comprehensive Celtic win. Stay safe, look out for each other, and be aware of your rights.