Line Of Duty star denies singing along to IRA chants
Martin Compston was at the centre of a sectarian storm last night after he was filmed singing at an event where Celtic fans chanted an ira song.
the Line Of Duty star was a guest at a north american Federation of Celtic
Supporters’ Clubs (naFCSC) convention in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
Footage has emerged of the 38-year-old on stage with fellow actor Gianni Capaldi and ex-Celtic midfielders alan thompson and Bobby Petta, as audience members sing an ira chant to the tune of Daniel Boone’s 1972 hit Beautiful Sunday. Greenock-born Compston, wearing a Celtic shirt, can be seen pointing in the air as the crowd chants: ‘irish republican army. it’s the i-i-i-ira.’
it was met with a furious backlash on social media, but Compston tweeted: ‘Let me be absolutely clear, i unequivocally did not sing anY sectarian songs. i’ve worked in Belfast too long... to think this stuff is a laugh.
‘if people want to change lyrics to a song... that’s up to them. i’m not the lyric police.’
Compston, who plays Di Steve arnott and lives in Las Vegas, added: ‘if it was an ira song and i was onstage bobbing along i would understand the story but i’m pretty sure Daniel Boone had nothing more than Beautiful Sundays in mind when he wrote the song and that’s what i was singing.’
Last night Scottish tory community safety spokesman russell Findlay said of the chanting by the crowd: ‘Such disgraceful celebration of terrorism disrespects those murdered by the ira.’
Mr Capaldi, Mr thompson, Mr Petta, Celtic Football Club and the naFCSC were contacted for comment.