RED CARD FOR FOOTBALL BIGOTS ACT
Law branded ‘mince’ by a judge is facing the axe
THE Scottish Parliament last night showed the red card to a controversial anti-sectarian law in a landmark defeat for the SNP.
The vote signalled the beginning of the end of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, which was once described in court as “mince” by a judge.
The legislation was brought in by Alex Salmond when he was first minister as an emergency response to shocking behaviour in stadiums.
Flashpoints included a “shame game” in 2011 when Rangers had three players sent off and manager Ally McCoist was embroiled in a touchline feud with Celtic counterpart Neil Lennon.
Despite opposition from legal experts and fans’ groups, the SNP used their majority to push their plans through in record time.
Yesterday, MSPs voted 65 to 61 in favour of a Labour plan to rip up the Act. It’s the first of three parliamentary stages needed to bin it.
Labour MSP James Kelly, who is behind the plan to repeal, said: “The Football Act is discredited legislation which has failed to make any progress in tackling sectarianism, while at the same time dividing fans and the police.
“It is time for the SNP Government to listen to the will of Parliament and get behind repeal.
“Instead of continuing to pursue this broken law, they must work to unify parties, anti-sectarian organisations, faith groups and education leaders, and start taking the problem of sectarianism seriously.
“For too long the SNP have hidden behind the Football Act and pretended it is some sort of silver bullet. It is not.”
Despite promises it would combat sectarianism, football grounds are still plagued with offensive chants and songs. In 2013, Sheriff Richard Davidson described the law as “mince”.
After yesterday’s vote, community safety minister Annabelle Ewing said she would “respect the will of Parliament”.
She added: “The vast majority of wellbehaved football fans who become targets of vitriol and abuse will be concerned about the message today’s vote sends to people who wish to threaten, attack and abuse.
“We will explore all options to protect people as best we can from hate crime.
“While it’s a sad day for Scotland, we are resolute in our determination to combat bigotry, homophobia, racism and offensive behaviour targeting people for being who they are.”
The SNP also pointed to warnings from support groups that scrapping the Act will undermine the fight against sectarianism.
SNP backbencher James Dornan said: “Mr Kelly should explain why he wants to effectively give the green light to sectarian and offensive behaviour, and create a potentially serious gap in the law when it comes to prosecuting threatening online behaviour.
“It’s not too late for him to drop his obsession with undermining the fight against sectarianism. I hope he sees sense.”
The Tories, Lib Dems and the Greens voted with Labour. Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: “This has been a misguided and discredited law from the start.
“No one took it seriously, police officers didn’t like enforcing it and sheriffs laughed it out of courtrooms.
“There’s no question sectarianism is a problem which needs tackled, but this legislation was not the way to do it.”
The SNP must start taking the problem of sectarianism seriously JAMES KELLY