Offensive Behaviour at Football Act.

**GillyHibee** · 26-01-2018 08:00 AM

Just me that thinks its ridiculous this act has been repealed? Just allows these animals in the west to spout pure hatred even more

Sorry forgot to add link: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...nsive-11914782

***lord bunberry*** · 26-01-2018 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Just me that thinks its ridiculous this act has been repealed? Just allows these animals in the west to spout pure hatred even more

Sorry forgot to add link: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...nsive-11914782

It was a waste of time. The hatred they spout has increased since the act was brought in. Before they died the Hun had toned down their sectarian bile due to threats from UEFA. We need meaningful legislation that closes stadiums if these songs are sung.

**GillyHibee** · 26-01-2018 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by lord bunberry

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It was a waste of time. The hatred they spout has increased since the act was brought in. Before they died the Hun had toned down their sectarian bile due to threats from UEFA. We need meaningful legislation that closes stadiums if these songs are sung.

Was just the fact that there seemed to be no "meaningful legislation" announced for after the removal of this act?

And yeah, it was pointless. 9/10 the "fans" were charged with breach of the peace other than this act.

***lord bunberry*** · 26-01-2018 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Was just the fact that there seemed to be no "meaningful legislation" announced for after the removal of this act?

And yeah, it was pointless. 9/10 the "fans" were charged with breach of the peace other than this act.

Politicians don’t want to do anything about the sectarian problem in this country. As I said earlier it could be stopped overnight by threatening to close stadiums if the songs continue. The spfl could also stop it by threatening to dock points.

**Weststandwanab** · 26-01-2018 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by lord bunberry

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Politicians don’t want to do anything about the sectarian problem in this country. As I said earlier it could be stopped overnight by threatening to close stadiums if the songs continue. The spfl could also stop it by threatening to dock points.

Spot on.

**-Jonesy-** · 26-01-2018 08:06 AM

This and the named person scheme are almost universally accepted outside of the chamber at Holyrood. Pure anti SNP rhetoric from the opposition parties with no regard for their benefit to the public at large.

Shameful s**t IMO

***One Day Soon*** · 27-01-2018 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by -Jonesy-

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This and the named person scheme are almost universally accepted outside of the chamber at Holyrood. Pure anti SNP rhetoric from the opposition parties with no regard for their benefit to the public at large.

Shameful s**t IMO

Absolutely correct - apart from being completely wrong.

***One Day Soon*** · 27-01-2018 11:26 AM

If you want to break sectarian chanting in Scottish football you just need to arrest and charge a sample of say 10 to 20 of the people doing it at each game. You'd kill it in months if not weeks.

Of course that would require the police to want to do it, which in turn would only happen if a heavy line was sent down from Scottish Government to Police Scotland to make it happen. A bit like - in fact exactly like - what happened after our cup final. That massively expensive and prolonged operation took place because the Scottish Government said publicly that such behaviour wouldn't be tolerated.

The laws are all in place, where's the will?

***Eyrie*** · 27-01-2018 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by One Day Soon

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If you want to break sectarian chanting in Scottish football you just need to arrest and charge a sample of say 10 to 20 of the people doing it at each game. You'd kill it in months if not weeks.

Of course that would require the police to want to do it, which in turn would only happen if a heavy line was sent down from Scottish Government to Police Scotland to make it happen. A bit like - in fact exactly like - what happened after our cup final. That massively expensive and prolonged operation took place because the Scottish Government said publicly that such behaviour wouldn't be tolerated.

The laws are all in place, where's the will?

The will would be there if the chants were aimed at women, non-Christian religions, LBGTI, non-whites, disabled etc.

But instead a blind eye is turned to anti-Catholic or pro-terrorist singing, which effectively normalises such behaviour.

**~~Tornadoes70~~** · 28-01-2018 11:40 PM

I'd have thought the blue hun coat Potter wears trackside would almost certainly be offensive to most. He is one cretinous creature.

Mon the Cabbage!!!

**marinello59** · 26-01-2018 08:07 AM

Singling out football fans for special laws is wrong. The laws are already there to tackle offensive behaviour. The Scottish Government and Police Scotland preferred to put on a show with this pointless act rather than using the powers they already had.

***Stonewall*** · 26-01-2018 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Just me that thinks its ridiculous this act has been repealed? Just allows these animals in the west to spout pure hatred even more

What was rediculous was that the act was ever introduced in the first place.

it was a badly thought through piece of grandstanding and expediency by Salmond which was never going to be effective.

i'm not a lawyer but I remember during media discussions at the time that pretty much everything in it was covered by existing legislation and it was really a question as to why the existing laws were not being enforced. Given that there was no reason to believe that the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act was going to be effective and so it has proved.

***Craig_HFC*** · 26-01-2018 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Just me that thinks its ridiculous this act has been repealed? Just allows these animals in the west to spout pure hatred even more

Sorry forgot to add link: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...nsive-11914782

You musn't go to many games if you think that the OFBA stopped those mutants signing their 'party tunes'.

It was pointless legislation.

**GillyHibee** · 26-01-2018 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Craig_HFC

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You musn't go to many games if you think that the OFBA stopped those mutants signing their 'party tunes'.

It was pointless legislation.

I go to enough to see this - but surely it should have attempted to silence the Manky mob?

***Craig_HFC*** · 26-01-2018 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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I go to enough to see this - but surely it should have attempted to silence the Manky mob?

Nope, nothing is ever going to stop that unless the SFA grow some balls and start punishing Celtic & Rangers for their support singing their favourite songs by fining the clubs or docking them points but we all know that will never happen.

All the legislation did was allow Police to arrest & punish football supporters for very, very minor offences/things that weren't even an offence.

**GillyHibee** · 26-01-2018 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by Craig_HFC

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Nope, nothing is ever going to stop that unless the SFA grow some balls and start punishing Celtic & Rangers for their support singing their favourite songs by fining the clubs or docking them points but we all know that will never happen.

All the legislation did was allow Police to arrest & punish football supporters for very, very minor offences/things that weren't even an offence.

Cant imagine the SFA docking any points from the "Golden two", that would spell disaster. More likely choice is to play games behind closed doors, maybe affecting money flow? Fines don't deter them much, they still continue even after the Champions League fine for "Free Palestine" flags when playing Hapoel Beer Sheva, for one of many examples.

***Craig_HFC*** · 26-01-2018 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Cant imagine the SFA docking any points from the "Golden two", that would spell disaster. More likely choice is to play games behind closed doors, maybe affecting money flow? Fines don't deter them much, they still continue even after the Champions League fine for "Free Palestine" flags when playing Hapoel Beer Sheva, for one of many examples.

My point is that it doesn't matter if there is an act (like OBFA) in place or not, nothing is going to change in terms of the bigotry & sectarianism from the ugly sisters until the SFA start punishing the clubs for their supports' actions.

This will never happen though.

**SideBurns** · 26-01-2018 08:40 AM

If you have a look at the Act, you'll quickly realise that if it was to be implemented to the letter then you'd have thousands of Huns paraded through the sheriff courts every week; and that's before you even get to isolated incidents like the recent Dean Shiels stuff. The legislation was probably brought in with the best of intentions but is simply unworkable. You'd almost need a dedicated court to deal with it if the polis were going to use the law properly but given the one team whose fans are constantly in breach of it are met with the 'three wise monkeys' when it comes to the authorities it is pointless.

**green&left** · 26-01-2018 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Just me that thinks its ridiculous this act has been repealed? Just allows these animals in the west to spout pure hatred even more

Sorry forgot to add link: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...nsive-11914782

When Hibs and Hamilton have the most arrests as a percentage of their crowds (or something like that) under the OBFA it's clear its not exactly doing what it was intended to do. Nonsense legislation that was rushed through after the "shame game" which was also greatly blown out of proportion.

If the SNP and Scottish Government are serious about eradicating sectarianism they could maybe start with OO marches. Recently there has been more marches in Glasgow than Belfast and Dery combined!

**norhfc** · 26-01-2018 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by scott_b_

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When Hibs and Hamilton have the most arrests as a percentage of their crowds (or something like that) under the OBFA it's clear its not exactly doing what it was intended to do. Nonsense legislation that was rushed through after the "shame game" which was also greatly blown out of proportion.

If the SNP and Scottish Government are serious about eradicating sectarianism they could maybe start with OO marches. Recently there has been more marches in Glasgow than Belfast and Dery combined!

Good point about the OO Marches and others, a pure hate fest on Saturday afternoons around the towns and cities of Scotland.
I just wished they had something else to replace this act with, something that would work.

**BegbieHSC** · 26-01-2018 08:22 AM

I think this is verging on Holy Ground stuff, lads!

**DH1875** · 26-01-2018 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Just me that thinks its ridiculous this act has been repealed? Just allows these animals in the west to spout pure hatred even more

Sorry forgot to add link: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...nsive-11914782

Can't agree. Should never have been passed in the first place.

johnbc70 · 26-01-2018 09:01 AM

Finish the sentence those that think we should keep it. The Offensive Behaviour at Football Act has made a difference because........

Scotlands shame, will only be tackled when it's points deducted or having to play in empty stadiums.

**Tomsk** · 26-01-2018 09:52 AM

Has there even been a law so frequently and flagrantly broken? Literally thousands of people were breaking the law every week in full view of the police and witnesses with cameras and microphones recording the moments in detail.

The Scottish Government, and indeed Scottish society as a whole, need to be scrutinising the role played by the police in the actual enforcement of the act. Were the police incapable of enforcing the law or worse were they unwilling to enforce the law? Was is it just bad legislation that the police effectively turned their backs on? Or was there something deeper and more sinister at play?

For what it's worth, I think it was a poor piece of legislation. I also think it has exposed actual and potential weaknesses in the way in which public order in Scotland is policed.

***neil7908*** · 27-01-2018 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Tomsk

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Has there even been a law so frequently and flagrantly broken? Literally thousands of people were breaking the law every week in full view of the police and witnesses with cameras and microphones recording the moments in detail.

The Scottish Government, and indeed Scottish society as a whole, need to be scrutinising the role played by the police in the actual enforcement of the act. Were the police incapable of enforcing the law or worse were they unwilling to enforce the law? Was is it just bad legislation that the police effectively turned their backs on? Or was there something deeper and more sinister at play?

For what it's worth, I think it was a poor piece of legislation. I also think it has exposed actual and potential weaknesses in the way in which public order in Scotland is policed.

This. I'm so tired of police and politicians talking a good game but failing utterly to do anything practical.

As you say, has a law ever been broken so openly with cameras and police watching on with no repercussions?

Unfortunately the football authorities in this country won't act so we need government and the law to be enforced. Sadly I see nothing promising in this area.

**Onion** · 29-01-2018 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by johnbc70

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Finish the sentence those that think we should keep it. The Offensive Behaviour at Football Act has made a difference because........

Scotlands shame, will only be tackled when it's points deducted or having to play in empty stadiums.

Correct. The authorities could erradicate this problem virtually overnight if they really wanted to. Instead, they choose to give the illusion of tackling the issue. It's patently obvious they have their own agenda and are unprepared to stand up to Celtic and Sevco who need their "special atmosphere" to maintain their crowds and attraction to Sky and the media.

**EastCalderHibby** · 29-01-2018 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by johnbc70

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Finish the sentence those that think we should keep it. The Offensive Behaviour at Football Act has made a difference because........

Scotlands shame, will only be tackled when it's points deducted or having to play in empty stadiums.

and no tv coverage
but it obviously doesn't bother sky or bt what their viewers hear as they insist that one them is on every week

**HTD1875** · 26-01-2018 12:56 PM

Hibs the most targetted support of this act. 171 people charged in 5 years. If you average out the average Home attendance that’s 1 in every 66 hibs fans.

This act does nothing to stop sectarianism and is used by the police to get people onto long term banning orders for minor offences.

***Keith_M*** · 26-01-2018 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by GillyHibee

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Just me that thinks its ridiculous this act has been repealed? Just allows these animals in the west to spout pure hatred even more

Sorry forgot to add link: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...nsive-11914782

I think it's ridiculous that the act was repealed, mainly on the basis of the bigots at Ibrox and Parkhead.

I liked the comments of the SNP MSP, can't remember his name, who admitted to singing offensive songs at Celtc Park when he was younger but totally slated the segment of Fans that still sing these songs of hate and told them it's time to move on.