Today should have been all about a nine-year-old club basking in the glory of their inaugural title win.
Instead, they are coming to terms with the appalling vista that the rest of Scotland has finally had enough of their feral fans.
This morning they might have thought that it couldn’t get any worse than the trashing of George Square.
Oh dear, then there was the widely shared video of the players having a nice wee sing-song after the match with Aberdeen.
For the avoidance of doubt, I have no idea on the bona fides of the video or the alleged add ons to the song “Sweet Caroline”.
However, it would appear that Police Scotland ARE looking into it.
Consequently I was not surprised when it was, once again, Statement O’clock at Sevco today.
You can read it here.
Here is the full text of the statement:
We are aware of a video circulating on social media. It is evident that this video was shared with an adjoining narrative which attempts to discredit our players and the reputation of Rangers Football Club. This highlights the dangers of ‘trial by social media.’
It is deeply concerning that this video has been taken as genuine and has been shared widely including by some political representatives who should be mindful of their influence and legal processes.
Our squad is richly diverse. Sectarianism is unacceptable and has no place in our club which is underlined by our Everyone Anyone campaign.
We are confident that no criminality took place, we have sought legal advice and look forward to cooperating with Police Scotland.
All the best with finding a clear, unequivocal denial within those 120 finely crafted, nay dignified, words
As regular readers will know, I questioned the wisdom of appointing the PR superhero DUPman to the role.
A cynic might hav concluded that bringing the chap from Béal Feirste might have been a crude dog whistle to the Ibrox klanbase.
I, of course, couldn’t possibly comment.
This afternoon I enjoyed a long chat with an MSP about the post-George Square situation.
Now, that conversation must remain private.
However, I feel that there is a now a mood in Fair Caledonia to finally call out Sevco’s feral fans.
Moreover, that recognising the centrality of anti-Irish racism is what defines them.
People in positions of influence must act with good authority apropos this far right subculture.
I was especially pleased to see this organisation actually recognise the racism of the Ibrox mob.
Your humble correspondent first contacted them about the Ibrox klanbase on this matter in 2008.
Yes, 2008…
I think it is entirely fair to say that they were not entirely onside at the time.
Still, persistence beats denial.
Patrick Harvie MSP put it very well:
“…thugs rampaging…trashing George Square…violence and anti-Irish/anti-Catholic bigotry…given free rein”
What the Green party guy has called out are key aspects of that racist subculture.
Consequently, managing the reputation of the Ibrox club in the aftermath of the George Square riot and the player’s video would test the abilities of even a seasoned PR professional.
Instead, they have a chap from the DUP and no harm to him.
Now to some, he might be some kind of superhero.
However, the Glasgow based journalists that I spoke to today have another description for him.
I, of course, couldn’t possibly comment.
Indeed, as it stands, the number of people in Scotland who don’t see the Ibrox klanbase as serious a social problem could probably now all change in the same phone box.
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A load of these fascists took of from Belfast easyJet flight. The police had to board as their sectarian singalong was in full swing. They weren’t asked what’s the meaning of their trip and do they know they are prohibited from public gatherings. These bigots should be easy to trace but I won’t be holding my breath waiting.
Why were vendors allowed to set up shop to sell their garbage around ibrokes hours before the klan arrived to start the carnage, police Scotland never had any intention of trying to stop these knuckle draggers before they assembled for the riot
Great piece Phil. Spot on with so many points as usual.
The question I have regarding the escorted march into George Square is why Police Scotland facilitated it instead of preventing it? It is so obvious what was going to happen following the rehearsal a few weeks ago.
It would have been a routine operation to arrange for these people to be escorted to a public park for their”celebrations”,given the fact it’s a mere six weeks since these very self same fans wrecked Glasgow’s main square the powers that be cannot claim to be surprised.
You know something Phil I’ve seen It heard it loud for all my life, so I’m not holding my breath. This is engrained in this country in the very soil of it. As I have said before my Mother and father came to here from Donegal .This makes me a marked person, as with thousands of other Irish people who’s family have Irish beginning s. I have experienced the very worst this country has to offer.
Keep at them Phil.
TAL 🇮🇪
” it’s evident this video was shared with an adjoining narrative”
this in itself is evidence that the phrase F.T.P. was clearly heard by those at Ibrox who watched the video and that claims the players were saying Doo doo doo is nonsense. It is now on them to produce the original undoctored version that was taken by one of their staff to verify their version of events . Sometimes it’s best to say nothing than to open your mouth and put your left sorry your right foot right in it.
I remember them pressurising a BBC journalist to claim he had seen evidence of a verbal offer of 20m for Mr Morelos
I remember them mis-translating an interview with Mr Morelos to make claims that had no basis.
It was just a few short weeks ago we heard someone inside the stadium use racist anti catholic abuse when St Johnstone scored.
and not that long has passed since their Directors were singing the famine song.
We have them bang to rights here .
We need to take them to task on the thinking behind bringing out a Mandarin coloured top , I doubt it was to honour the previously mentioned 20m offer from Beijing.
The sevco statement is pretty mediocre. Pleasingly it doesn’t outright deny players were in an indoor environment not socially distancing where alcohol was being served. Illegal under the current Glasgow level 3 restrictions. So… There’s already that they’ll have to answer for. Regardless of what they sang (I’ve seen a few videos, they’re pretty conclusive in my mind).
I can totally understand why some folks don’t see independence in Scotland as a viable option; I mean the police and government knew well in advance that this was their intention yet, done nothing.
I mean who would allow that? For me, the police and the government KNEW how they’d behave, yet chose to let them ‘celebrate’ in the usual sevco manner.
Typically, they behaved like typical sevco fans, wrecking, fighting, rioting etc etc I wonder who authorised that? Because right there is the root of the problem; whoever permits/grants them special privileges in the middle of a pandemic to behave as they do in a public place, for me, is as much at fault as the dregs of society that caused and took part in this.Root him/her out and ensure they’re removed from their position, because someone had to make that choice, right?
Whoever granted ‘that lot’ those privileges should be out of a job, NO excuses, because surely they aren’t deluded enough to believe that they’d behave any differently from their first illegal gathering that ended in the same outcome in the same venue only weeks prior to this shitshow.
Cheers Phil 🍻
Couldn’t agree more Phil,
They knew what they were doing when they brought DUP Guy in.
Playing to their right wing fan base.
It has taken a while but maybe just maybe the people of Alba have had enough.
Coming from the loyalist heartland of East Derry (moved south over 20 years ago)I’ve seen it all before.
The way the demographics are going in the North of Ireland, I can sense their fear. Everything they hold on to so dearly is evaporating.
When I go north to visit my mother and see all the 55 flags flying. This is all they have. This is their “Kulture” . Let them fester in it.
HH
Slán
Mo chara
Does anyone know why the byelaw was not upheld by Police Scotland, carry-outs removed and fines administered, thereby nipping the mass riot in the bud? We all know they can’t do it sober.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/byelaws-prohibiting-consumption-of-alcohol-in-designated-public-places-august-2014-circular/
Does anyone know if GCC temporarily suspended this for Saturday and if so who initiated and who supported the authorisation of suspension?
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=17749
Overall, Police Scotland adopted a supine rather than a proactive attitude to their policing of this anticipated threat to public order. For example it was no secret that the Celtic shop in Argyle Street was going to be targeted. Why was there no police presence at its location to prevent the vandalism and public disorder? While the blue meanies were allowed to urinate freely, the boys in blue were also taking the piss.
The Scottish press have been complicit with regards to racism at Ibrox. They’ve made sure it’s gone unchallenged for decades. Can’t think of any other European club that would use a slogan like ‘We Urr Da Peepul’. Every intelligent person knows about its sinister connotations. The type of slogan used by the SS in 1930s/40s Germany.