FAC statement re tomorrow's demo

"The level of brutality and sheer naked aggression" shown by the police



Is that not an overreaction Reb?

 

By some of the laguage being used ... see Dev's quote. Also, I read some other quotes where, in my opinion, there is an overreaction to the law/police .

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm lumping the GB protest march in with the FAC demo.

I see both the FAC demo and Flag demos as being similiar to a point. For me, both are relatively trivial matters. There is a law, it is flawed, but until it gets changed - protest = yes but follow it = yes.

The poll tax/anti war demos are, for me, 100,000 x more serious issues ... these effected everyone and would have serious consequences.

 

The bill is a nonsense but the policing on the green brigade ain't going to change if the boll is repelled
They get special funding for the football unit so have to justify it so they fight with the green brigade.

It will magically solve sectarianism in Scotland.

 

up the 'RA

 

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Then we agree that they (the fans) have overreacted.

 

Could be worse you could have a CEO who supports the BNP.

 

Btw this is the same Sheriff who called the legislation"Mince"



The Dundee Courier reported yesterday on a case which proceeded last week at Dundee Sheriff Court.
As an aside, and perhaps a reflection of this being an East Coast paper, the headline was “Dundee Sheriff criticises anti-sectarian legislation”. As you will read, if this had been a West of Scotland case, I suspect that the headline would have focussed on a different remark by Sheriff Davidson!
The Courier’s report reads, in part:-Celtic fan Dion McLeish, 20, was found not guilty of inciting public disorder during the Dark Blues’ Boxing Day fixture against Celtic.


Prosecutors had alleged that on December 26, at Dens Park, McLeish engaged in behaviour which was likely or would be likely to incite public disorder in that he sang a song contrary to the offensive behaviour at football and threatening communications (Scotland) Act 2012 Section 1 (1).
However, Sheriff Davidson blasted the legislation, saying: “I’ve been attending football matches since 1957 and there is nothing I’ve seen in this particular case that would cause me the slightest concern.”


He added: “Sectarianism is a blight on Scottish society, but this isn’t the way to tackle it. The way to tackle it is to do away with denominational schools.


“If they can prescribe a list of songs which people are banned from singing, they will find the courts are full and the football grounds are empty.”


He told McLeish … : “There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever as far as I’m concerned that your behaviour would be liable to incite public disorder and you will be found not guilty.”


The decision of the Sheriff is itself worthy of further consideration, on the basis that it was alleged that Mr McLeish was singing “Roll of Honour”, a song remembering the Irish Republican hunger strikers who dies in the Maze prison in 1981. I would like to come back to that issue in another post.
However the quote I’m focussing on is this:-


“Sectarianism is a blight on Scottish society, but this isn’t the way to tackle it. The way to tackle it is to do away with denominational schools.”



Few would disagree with the first part of Sheriff Davidson’s sentiments. However the second part might be rather more controversial.
The article quoted a spokeswoman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld who said: “The sheriff’s comments are deeply regrettable. Catholic schools exist throughout the world without being accused of leading to sectarianism.”

There have already been voices raised in criticism of the Sheriff, although interestingly I have read some opinions which have called for him to be sacked, not for his comments on schools, but for having had the temerity to clear Mr McLeish and thus, in the minds of some, to have given succour to “supporters of terrorism”!

 

A BOY of four was raped by a convicted *****phile — after police IGNORED signs the beast was still a high risk, a damning report has revealed.

Evil George Cameron duped cops into thinking he was no longer a danger — then lured the tragic youngster into his home.

The serial abuser was jailed for life last year, but now a Significant Case Review has found officers failed to check for vulnerable children living near his flat, trusted him to tell the truth about his activities and were lacking vital training.

Months before the calculating fiend struck last March, Strathclyde Police chiefs promised to learn lessons from a report into the horrific 2009 murders of ten-year-old Holly Fallon and her mum Diane and — which highlighted the exactly the SAME failings.

Now critics are demanding to know why top brass at the force, who still refuse to apologise for the horrendous blunder, allowed history to repeat itself.

Margaret Cummings is calling for separate courts to be set up for *****philes. Her 8-year-old son Mark was murdered by registered sex offender Stuart Leggate, who dumped his body down a rubbish chute in a block of flats.
Fury ... Margaret
Campaigner Margaret Ann Cummings, below far right — whose son Mark, eight was killed by ***** Stuart Leggate in 2004 — said: “This is a scandal. We keep hearing changes are being made, but the same mistakes are happening over and over again.

“Who in their right mind allows sex offenders to be taken at their word? Who allows vulnerable young families to live next door to someone like that?

“It’s heartbreaking yet another child has suffered because officials are not doing their jobs properly.

“Ministers have to change the law, put sex offenders’ human rights second and let families know who is in their community.”

Cameron had two convictions for crimes against young boys, stretching back to 1969, and was jailed for five years in 1994.

In 2001, he was housed in high-rise flats in Toryglen, Glasgow, where he was monitored by police and — until 2010 — social workers.

The 69-year-old’s risk was upgraded to high in 2005 but gradually reduced back to low — despite an assessment warning he was still a danger.

In 2009, the victim and his family were placed in a neighbouring flat but not told of Cameron’s past as he began grooming the youngster.

The High Court in Glasgow heard the child even referred to him as ‘Papa George’.

But in March 2012, Cameron lured the boy to his flat where he raped him, then calmly sent him home with a biscuit, a packet of sweets and a carton of yoghurt.

Police were called when the tot told his mum what had happened.

Cameron was jailed on an Order of Lifelong Restriction which means, even when he’s released, he will have to be subjected to intense supervision.

But his crime has uncanny parallels with the murders of Diane Fallon and daughter Holly in Ayrshire — part of the Strathclyde force area — three years earlier.

They lived in a flat next to their killer, Thomas Smith but were unaware the ex-soldier had been jailed for a sex assault on a ten-year-old girl.

But now a withering report into the Cameron case has found Strathclyde Police guilty of making the same errors all over again.

The Glasgow Community Justice Authority review states: “Strathclyde Police had not undertaken either an initial scan or an annual scan of the accommodation occupied by George Cameron.

“Had an environmental scan been undertaken, the police may have identified the presence of the victim’s family near Cameron.

“At no time when questioned did Cameron volunteer information about his contact with the victim or his family.

Ch Supt Russell Dunn.
Top cop ... Mr Dunn
“In 2010, police and social workers assessed Cameron at a low risk of re-offending. There is no explicit decision-making recorded why.”

And despite a recommendation in the Smith Significant Case Review, “no specific formal training course has been developed for supervisory officers in offender management”. Strathclyde Police — now part of Police Scotland — have refused to apologise for the mistakes and won’t say if any officer has been held to account for the failings.

Russell Dunn, below, a former Strathclyde assistant chief constable, said: “Changes to procedures were made prior to the publication of the Thomas Smith SCR in November 2011, but not completed until April 2012.

“Regrettably, George Cameron re-offended in March 2012 while the new processes were being introduced.

“We have fully discussed the findings and recommendations made in the Cameron SCR with the victim’s family and are in the process of actioning all the recommendations.” But a spokesman for Glasgow City Council — whose social workers monitored Cameron — admitted: “We agreed a review was required to ensure a full understanding of the way Cameron was managed in the community.

“We accept the report’s conclusions and will take the necessary action to address its recommendations.”

The shocking failure of authorties to protect the tragic four-year-old from monster Cameron has outraged politicians and victims’ groups.

Sandra Brown, right — of the Moira Anderson Foundation which supports child abuse survivors — said: “Sex offenders have to be monitored to the Nth degree. The regime cannot be relaxed under any circumstances.

“But that’s exactly what happened — here not once, but twice. I’m horrified these failures were not being picked up.”

Slamming Strathclyde Police, Labour justice spokesman Lewis Macdonald blasted: “This is the same force displaying the same failings, and that’s just not good enough.”

Tory chief whip John Lamont added: “Cases like this damage public confidence in authorities.”

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, below, last night admitted the boy and his family were let down by the system and vowed measures would be taken to avoid a repeat of the failings.

He said: “I first want to express my extreme sympathy for the young victim and his family.

“It is disappointing to note that guidance requiring an annual review of the suitability of the offender’s accommodation was not followed. The breakdown in information-sharing is also of concern.

“An action plan is being drafted by the local agencies responsible to ensure the recommendations in this case are taken forward as soon as possible.

“The Scottish Government will also ensure any lessons from this case are shared more widely in other parts of the country.”



Disgusting. Trying too criminalise fans while letting the real criminals do what they want. The police are a joke.

The sooner the police are held accountable for their actions the better. They should be sued for this.

 

His view on denominational schools is purely personal and has no grounding in law whatsoever, unlike his decision to dismiss the case against the Celtic fan. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make Dev?

 

I wasn't trying to make a point per se, I stumbled upon it while looking at something else.

But now that you mention it surely his view of the Current Law was a personal opinion too?

The debate is over.