Police Scotland – Discriminatory

discrimination

 

1.

the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people

 

Police Scotland today released their statement outlining their prohibitions. Received by an angry and almost expectant fan base, it is just one further display of the complete contempt shown towards football fans in this country.

 

I appreciate the need for sensible policing and the desire for as little disruption across the city as possible, but how do Police Scotland manage it when Hibs play Hearts, or when Scotland’s rugby team and bands play at Murrayfield? Couldn’t we have arrived at a sensible compromise by allowing drinking only in easily-policed, designated areas? Why are all football fans immediately prejudged as alcoholic criminals with no control over themselves?

 

Football is the country’s national sport. Is it a coincidence that crowds are plummeting when the authorities in this country are strangling the enjoyment out of the game? Furthermore, why are our clubs allowing it to happen unchallenged? When will they grow a backbone and stand up to the unjust treatment regularly doled out to those of us who keep the game in this country breathing (and pump MILLIONS into local economies at the same time)?

 

The hypocrisy in it all is that not only can Police Scotland dictate whether us, the fans, are allowed to enjoy ourselves, but they’re handsomely paid for it too all whilst discriminating against people purely by the fact they happen to attend a football match instead of, for example, rugby.

 

Even their statement released earlier stank of prejudice.

“Keeping people safe and discouraging criminal activity will be the focus of Police Scotland’s operation at Sunday’s Cup Final between Raith Rovers and Rangers.“

Anyone know why banning drink only discourages criminal activity at the Ramsden’s Cup final? No? Certainly a puzzler for me too. These aren’t the only signs of their discrimination of football fans either, we have the rather bizarre Offensive Behaviour at Football (and Threatening Communications) Act. Without delving too far into the ridiculousness of a bill that stipulates being “offensive” is a crime (a bill that offends me, ironically enough), it is the very fact that it only applies to football fans which is astounding. Take a step back for a moment and consider the stupidity of it.

 

Hypothetical scenario;

• Weekend 1 – A man goes to a Scotland rugby match at Murrayfield. Before the match he has a drink with his mates in the surrounding area of the stadium, and during the match he has a drink too. Whilst in there, he sings songs which could be deemed “offensive”. He goes home happy (after seeing Scotland almost score a try in a one-sided arse-kicking);
• Weekend 2 – The same man goes to a gig at Murrayfield. Before the gig he has a drink with his mates in the surrounding areas of the stadium, and he has a drink in the stadium throughout the gig. Whilst in there he and his mates sing some songs which could be deemed offensive before the band come on. He goes home happy;
• Weekend 3 – The same guy has tickets to see Rangers in the Ramsden’s Cup final. He is told there is a city-wide drink ban in effect. He is told his supporters’ bus will almost certainly be spot-checked. He is told he will be searched and sniffed by dogs to make sure he isn’t taking flares or smoke bombs in with him. He goes in, sings the same song he previously sang at the gig and at the rugby match. He gets lifted and sentenced to 6 months in prison.

A combination of the laws and policing in this country allows the above scenario to be a fairly realistic possibility. That is absolutely sickening.

 

As a Rangers fan, I find it absolutely abhorrent that my club has done nothing to highlight these injustices.