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.
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.
Thankfully those dark days were over when the draconian Offensive Behaviour At Football Act was repealed (much to the chagrin of Bernard Higgins, who often praised the legislation).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.