Over the last few weeks, the Celtic fans have been protesting against the potential employment of Bernard Higgins to a high ranking security position at the club. Although the support is almost entirely united over this issue, with fans from all different sects being affected by Higgins and his boot boys in the past, there are still a few in the faithful who don’t quite understand why there is so much disdain surrounding the prospect of him being associated with the club.
To explain the situation, Fans Against Criminalisation have decided to release a series of videos detailing real life experiences of people who suffered due to the vindictive and sinister policing of football fans.
The Celtic support has united to oppose the appointment of Bernard Higgins, but we are still asked why this is the case. Over the course of this week, we will release a series of videos detailing real life experiences of people who suffered due to the vindictive policing of fans. pic.twitter.com/atZP4kDW87
— FAC (@FACKilltheBill) December 6, 2021
It is important to stress that this issue didn’t just affect the Green Brigade as some supporters wrongly think. Indeed, members of the wider fan base were arrested for the most minimal of “crimes”, and given disproportionate punishments.
This issue also went beyond Celtic and affected supporters in the rest of Scottish football, including a Hamilton fan who was arrested for the heinous crime of singing “Well, Well, F Your Well,” against local rivals Motherwell.
Video 2 tells of a supporter who was arrested then visited by police officers who attempted to recruit him as an informant. Bernard Higgins defended this practice on Sky News, putting football fans in the same category as organised criminals and terrorists in his response 🚫👨🏻🦲 pic.twitter.com/ARDrNthHSF
— FAC (@FACKilltheBill) December 6, 2021
Thankfully those dark days were over when the draconian Offensive Behaviour At Football Act was repealed (much to the chagrin of Bernard Higgins, who often praised the legislation). There can be no return to those horrible times. Lives destroyed, relationships broken, families terrified by public arrests and dawn raids, jobs lost and time spent in cells.
It’s exactly why you shouldn’t vote snp. Higgins was a cog in a wheel, the ire is directed at the wrong person. Police are told to police, the legislators were not the Police, the police were told what was expected of them and how to enact it, Higgins warned the laws were draconian, even if it was gleefully whether you think he was part of the problem or not, he didn’t set out to create the law. Maybe there is a problem with sets of fans, chucking bottles, chairs or whatever they feel like that needs to be resolved, maybe he isn’t the right person for the job but something needs to be resolved, might it be better to look at the reason for a potential appointment of such a divisive person rather than the person himself.
Please don’t play music during the videos. It’s difficult to hear and trying to understand the accents