It's not really. Even putting aside what constitutes bigotry, standing drunkenly shouting **** the Pope or **** the Queen in the middle of Glasgow is against the law (breach of the peace) and could have led to further trouble in the wrong right (or wrong) circumstances. It's one thing fans doing it. A player (albeit not a first team one) is quite another.
I also agree with this....actions and words have consequences If songs sung by fans have us kicked out of competitions....so be it, we broke the rules If I'm banned from my club because of a flag I'm waving, so be it, its their property But it is not up to a tin pot executive to imprison me for either of these 'offensive' actions. You will not change opinions by banning things you don't like
FFS If I upset someone by signing a song its a bigger issue than if I broke into there house and stole their wifes pants shaved their their dog and pished in the sock door.
But the new legislation hasn't even gone through Parliament so he was arrested under current laws which have been in place for years. It has nothing to do with the SNP.
It's a precursor for the new bill Would this guy have been arrested for this a year ago......yes but only for breach of the peace....now, potentially, doing this could get him 5 years in prison Now as much as i would love to see rangers players jailed, it can't be because they don't like the pope....and remember stereo, I'm a "god botherer"
I've been done with breach of the peace about 6 times. once for swearing in my mates house!! ****s took me to maryhill. £60 fine. ripped it up as soon as I walked out, not heard anything back.
I'm sure it will turn out that - along with the BBC - that Strathclyde Police are probably in all likeleyhood, maybe, Institutionally prejudiced against Rangers FC. I expect Craig Whyte's lawyers (Carter Ruck) will soon be asking the Police what the **** they think they are doing?
mind that program about sectarianism on BBC a while ago? they sent undercover cameramen to the rangers and celtic end of hampden for the U19s cup final to see if there was any nasty bigots. the celtic cameraman's camera "broke"
I have in my possession an LP by the American band Butthole Surfers within which there is a song "Bar-b-q Pope". Part of the lyrics are as follows: "They shot the Pope They shot his ass They shot the Pope and I feel good" Would it now be illegal to listen to this record in Scotland? Do Butthole Surfers fans have to travel south across the border to listen to their music? Has Alex Salmond even considered this important issue?
If they sung it in the street in a blatant attempt to incite others then they would in all probablity be arrested too.
I've also got it in mp3. Ah so it's who you do it in front of that matters. If, as far as you were aware, there are no persons present who might take offence, then it's ok? He should use that as his defence.
It's a highly confusing situation hence the reason none of the other parties in the Parliament are supporting it. Just look at the word Hun. People like Dev and I use it merely to represent someone who supports Glasgow Rangers. For me it has no religious connotations. But some Rangers fans see it as a sectarian insult. Who and how do you decide what is sectarian is the issue here.
