Flare comment

David Hamilton, Vice Chair of the Scottish Police Federation, and Jim Dornan, Operations Director of St Andrews First Aid, have echoed the demand made by Ross Haggart, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, that legislation on fireworks be tightened up so that a) it is illegal to possess them in a public place and b) the police be given the power to search for them in the street and not just when they have been lit.

A flare can inflict life-threatening injuries as it burns at a high temperature. Smoke grenades give off a toxic substance and can cause respiratory difficulty. Actions by Hearts, Hibs and Motherwell in the last fortnight have been commendable – beefing up CCTV, using sniffer dogs, shutting part of the stadium and banning criminals for life.

However, the Old Firm remain in the vanguard of moves to oppose Strict Liability, meaning we must look to the Scottish Government. Kris Boyd of Kilmarnock, and a newspaper columnist, has queried what Neil Doncaster and Ian Maxwell are doing to justify their huge salaries. Both are fiddling as Rome burns.former player Davie Provan is on record stating that reports by match observers on sectarianism are ignored.

We have now had the vicious sectarian muck aimed at Steve Clark (“sad Fenian”) and at

Derek Mcinnes (“fat Orange b ****** ”) and what has happened? Apparently nothing in the case of the latter, as “no rules have been broken”.

Against the grim backdrop of cringeworthy singing, repulsive banners, vandalism, missile throwing, assaults etc Justice Minister Humza Yousaf has said: “Police tell me someone could yet be seriously injured”. Well yes, quite. The time for working parties, summits, action plans and

think tanks is over. It is time for action.

JOHN V LLOYD

Keith Place Inverkeithing Fife