Leading members in the Irish community in Scotland have informed me that they “have been taken aback” by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill’s statement following on from Sunday’s CIS Insurance Cup Final.
During that match the Rangers crowd contained many who repeatedly indulged in Discriminatory Chanting.
Despite this the SNP Justice Minister praised the crowd for playing their part in a memorable day.
From what I have been told I would now expect the organised Irish community in Scotland through their various bodies to take a more visibly engaged role in the debate on “Scottish sectarianism.”
So far “Anti-Irish racism” is a term that does not seem to be part of the Scottish governmental lexicon.
Whether or not they are afforded the space to do that by official Scotland in the time ahead remains to be seen.
