Keith Jackson owes The Green Brigade an apology. He owes every Celtic supporter an apology, but he should start with them as they were the targets of his spiteful and ill-judged nonsense of earlier in the week. His article was a disgrace and so is the paper which ran it.
In the aftermath, I put up a scathing piece and a semi-serious poll asking if he should be banned from Celtic Park (all the possible responses were yes) but I have little doubt that had I run an actual one the result would have been the same.
I know his article was as well received by some in the press rooms as it went down like a bag of rocks thrown in a river amongst our own fans.
He was not the only hack clucking his thick tongue at those banners; at least one other was begging for the UEFA investigation before it was formal.
I would not be surprised to learn that one of the complaints the governing body received originated right here at home, and from a Scottish hack’s email account.
UEFA’s decision to charge Celtic with an offence here is absolutely ridiculous.
This isn’t flares or smoke bombs, this isn’t sectarianism or racism; this, in fact, is the opposite of those things. Let me pose this question to you; if Celtic fans had held up a banner which literally said “Show Racism The Red Card” on it, would UEFA have interpreted it as an illicit banner?
Let me tell you something; the way their regulations are written they would have had to, although that message is exactly the same one their own diversity campaigns preaches.
The specifics of the charge against Lazio was that they gave Nazi salutes … UEFA has a zero tolerance policy against racism and any form of discrimination. What was the Green Brigade banner if it wasn’t an acknowledgement that UEFA has it right on the money?
F@@k off to fascism. Isn’t that UEFA policy?
The club has not commented on it; I would hope that if they are going to it would be to praise the message itself if not the way it was sent. This is one of those times when they shouldn’t even just plead no contest and pay the fine. The club should be standing up for the supporters and their right to express themselves in this way.
Should Celtic Be Standing Up For The Green Brigade Over The Lazio Banners?Yes
No
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Frankly, The Green Brigade have made UEFA look ridiculous.
They have confronted them with the contradictions in their own stance, and that their fund raiser reached its goal and smashed through it in one day – one day folks – is only incredible if you don’t recall that they’ve done it before and shown UEFA up to be hypocrites in the past.
The Palestinian fine was ludicrous. The Palestinian flag is the banner of a sovereign nation which is recognised by 137 different countries. For God’s sake, they are represented on the International Olympic Committee. Of course it is a political statement, but only in the same way the Lion Rampant is or the EU flag at the present time.
Nobody has ever suggest that we ban them, or that we outlaw national anthems … they are amongst the most political songs you could ever hope to find.
This charge is up there with that ridiculous verdict and fine.
And of course, the conduct of our media was just as bad if not worse.
As I said earlier, Jackson’s article was absolutely diabolical and got the full flame-thrower treatment on this site and elsewhere.
In it, he accused The Green Brigade boys and girls of being “hard of thinking.”
Well those “hard of thinking” folks have, in the time it took Jackson to shame himself and his paper with that piece, raised £5000 for two worth causes. Then they raised the target to £7500 and blew through that. They set the next target at £15,000 and they are just over £1000 from hitting that as well.
I have no doubt they’ll hit it and then the one after it.
As I said in the article, these guys are worth ten of a preening, arrogant, self-important clown like Jackson.
He and his paper should be banned from Parkhead.
This website would like to congratulate the Green Brigade on their efforts so far.
I’d urge everyone to make a donation.
Donate to the Green Brigade fund raiser for anti-fascist charities.
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