ian1964 10,411 Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 SCOTS footie clubs will get powers to bar yob fans from ALL grounds in the UK. The shock legal move allows SPL and SFL teams to apply for banning orders to deal with louts. Holyrood law chief Frank Mulholland QC revealed MSPs are drawing up plans to change the punishments, which can last up to 10 YEARS. It is thought the call for change came from clubs including Celtic â?? but NOT Rangers. Last night it was claimed clubs were moving into â??law enforcementâ?. Lord Advocate Mr Mulholland said: â??Current legislation is that an application for a civil banning order can only be made by a Chief Constable. Clubs have asked whether that can be amended to allow them to apply to the courts. I understand the Scottish Government will look very favourably at that.â? Bosses will use football banning orders to tackle bigots â?? but ALL louts will be targeted. We told in January how the SNP was slammed for a costly probe to find out if the crackdown on yobs was working. The latest move is likely to spark fury from fansâ?? groups. One legal source said: â??This sounds like clubs moving into law enforcement.â? Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/feeds/smartphone/scotland/4822005/Time-to-club-the-footie-bigots-with-UK-fan-ban.html#ixzz2MSGVP1vN 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,411 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 SCOTLAND’S top lawman last night revealed he is a FAN of Celtic’s hardcore Green Brigade supporters’ group — and slammed critics of new anti-bigotry laws. In an exclusive interview with The Scottish Sun, Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland praised the controversial Parkhead ultras who have been blasted over IRA songs and Poppy Day protests. He said the colourful Hoops diehards and Rangers counterparts the Union Bears bring atmosphere and passion to games — but insisted members MUST behave on match days. Avid football follower Mr Mulholland said: “I’m a big fan of the Green Brigade. “They have improved the atmosphere and brought fantastic noise and support to Celtic Park. But there’s a line in the sand. Bring that brilliant support. Bring that banner display. “But don’t engage in racist, sectarian or offensive chanting.” Mr Mulholland denied campaigners’ claims that innocent fans are being criminalised by over-zealous cops enforcing the SNP’s crackdown on soccer yobs. Critics of last year’s Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act — brought in to tackle sectarian abuse — say existing statutes covered the problem. Crime expert Dr Stuart Waiton even claimed the legislation — sparked by the 2011 Old Firm “shame game” — was proof that Holyrood law-makers saw supporters as “vermin”. But Mr Mulholland said: “If I believed fans were vermin I’d be branding a lot of good friends and my family vermin. “The vast majority of football fans are great. It’s a fantastic sport and it’s part of Scotland's culture and lifestyle.” He hailed the laws as a success after his staff at the Crown Office prosecuted 177 out of 200 cases reported by cops by the end of last year. But fan groups say the FAILED cases are proof of heavy-handed policing at grounds — and claim elite cops in the Football Co-ordination Unit for Scotland are pursuing innocent fans to boost conviction rates. And they cite the filming of supporters by officers as violation of their human rights. Mr Mulholland dismissed claims of a “conspiracy”, adding: “I don’t speak for the police, but I inquired into whether there is a policy of systematic surveillance. There is not. My target is zero prosecutions — because then there won’t be a problem.” Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/feeds/smartphone/scotland/4821995/Lord-Advocate-Frank-Mulholland-Im-a-Green-Brigade-fan.html#ixzz2MSHBjb9o 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Anyone think this line would have been jumped on and the headline been different had it been about us: “But don’t engage in racist, sectarian or offensive chanting 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 who said celtic were sitting at the back of the bus? this vhermin are driving the fucking bus! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Oh well every cloud, by the time we are back at the top after a couple of games against them at Ibrox we will have banned all of the scum. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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