Safety minister says only ‘minority’ of fans are affected by Football Act

Claims that controversial laws to tackle sectarianism have criminalised football fans have been rejected by the community safety minister.

Annabelle Ewing told Holyrood’s justice committee that the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act had targeted the “tiny minority” of people who cause problems at matches.

The committee is considering a bid by Labour’s James Kelly to repeal the Act. The legislation – which came into force in 2012 – criminalises behaviour which is “threat- 0 Annabelle Ewing was giving evidence to justice committee ening, hateful or otherwise offensive at a regulated football match including offensive singing or chanting”.

However, Mr Kelly said it had unfairly targeted football fans.

Ms Ewing told the committee it was clear there was an issue with sectarianism in the game when the legislation was passed. About four million people attend football matches over the course of a season, with only 377 charges brought under the legislation in 2016-17.

She said: “Just because there are 377 charges and four million visits at the turnstile, that does not mean to say that this isn’t a problem that is corrosive and damaging to society. I find it difficult in that regard to get into the mind of somebody that is saying that this is criminalising all football fans, when the evidence patently shows that that’s not the case.”