"Our supporters do not want this any more. We are a non-political organisation"

No, I realise that. What you are saying is that you want those who wish to express their views on Irish politics and their disgust at being victimised for doing so, silenced.

 

Very good post btw. I wasn't attending Celtic games 20 years ago, and I don't come from an Irish background. I like the club because I believe it stood primarily for inclusion, which imo is a better point than any one political ideology about any one country.

We're a global club now with fans from all different races, religions and country's. Ireland has moved on from its troublesome past and that's great to see. I just don't see it as a political issue that needs addressing as much as some here do. I would actually be interested to see how Irish Celtic fans living in Ireland see it. Often with this kind of thing it's the guys with links to Ireland who have moved on that are the most vocal about a country's history.

 

From what I can gather, recently our GB bhoys put out a outstanding banner which reflects our fans position on the current legislation, in my opinion I think the European night was perfect due to the stage and media publicity but thats my opinion.

The message is clear than ever, we as Celtic supporters are being criminalised for singing and displaying club heritage. That is completely unacceptable, disgusting and form of fascism.

The board has recognised this bill and have not giving these Celtic supporters backing when being put up in courts, not even in Amsterdam for * sake? if im correct.

Liewell has came out and stated he will run the course on UEFAs disciplinary action and claim that the WHOLE support is behind him on it, its like something out of a fascist dictatorship. If we are going to keep getting fined for displays which send a message out against the Scottish authorities of taking away our civil rights then the board will have to pay by not standing with the bhoys at the bottom who are getting their rights taken away from them.

Who the actual * do UEFA think they are? I see around Europe of teams displaying political and other natured banners every weekend on SSN and other football channels.

The board has simply let us down here and the authorities are not going lenient either.

Im with my fellow supporters here who will fight to the end to keep our identity in tacked from * in suits that are only interested in financial gain than your civil * rights.

* the Board and UEFA. Until The Last Rebel.

 

Bingo. If only I could have addressed it as eloquently earlier

 

It will never happen.

 

I do wonder sometimes why the support are so determined to vent their politics about Ireland, but when i was growing up, id vouch 95%(exaggerated for effect obviously) of our over 18 support, supported and voted Labour in general elections..........but i didnt see any Labour posters!Why not?If we are so political, why not show support for the politics of your own country?

 

Well, considering the banner was in regards to the politics of this country............

 

Yes it was, but you know what i mean.The banner was a reactive banner, not proactive.I mean it seems its ok to be proactive about Palestine and Ireland, but not Britain......where the vast majority live and vote.

Where has all the political support been for British politics over the years?Even for Labour when like i said, almost everyone in the support voted for them!

 

Labours not the same now as it was back in the day, sure everyone can agree on that...

 

I totally agree, but i cant recall any support for them in the past.....and im old!!!

I may be wrong, but i cant remember any unity or banners during the miners strike, or at the introduction of the poll tax, or even anything to do with gay rights, or womens rights!Nothing that i can remember from such a political support.

I wanted to put politics in inverted commas there......but was scared off after reading 40 pages of the GB thread!:icon_mrgreen:

 

I think having a party when thatcher dies covered the whole poll tax/miner/general tory bullshit without going into specific details

 

For me Lawwell was completely wrong to make that statement. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that banner and with him continuing to fight against issues like this and not show support for what is really the truth that is being depicted with banners like that, he is going to divide the fans greatly. He makes statements like that yet Let The People Sing will continue to be played out at Celtic Park.

We all know how he feels about the Green Brigade and I can see that section getting closed down unfortunately. We may not be an actual political organisation per say, but politics has always been a part of our 126-year-history and it's sad to see members of our own board siding against small-minded football governing bodies who know absolutely nothing of our history.

 

Haven't read the thread.

Are the people who put up the banners happy to come clean and pay the fines?

If so, then I don't have a problem with them.

 

I never thought of it like that.
True statement that in my view.
I still think that politics in itself is divisive and excludes some fans.
But I do remember going to games in the 80's and no one gave a second thought to what songs were sung.

 

You want to deny this group the of assembly.

http://humanrightshouse.org/HRHN/Why_/The_right_to_peaceful_assembly/index.html

The right to peaceful assembly

People have a right to assemble together to promote and protect human rights through peaceful protest or the expression of their views. States have a responsibility to ensure that people are able to demonstrate peacefully and express their views without facing threats, intimidation or violence.



Lets follow this up with freedom of speech and silence all the dissenting fans

 

In the form of season ticket money they will easily cover the fine. I am sure from the tone of your post you have already voted yes. Feel free to correct me if I assumes incorrectly.

 

Closing 'the section' wont disband he GB. I've no idea why people persist with this line, presenting it as something the plc can do. The GB existed before any section came into place and will exist should it be taken away, which Celtic plc are more than aware of.

 

Personally, i've had enough in general of all of this *, if truth be told.

 

I have always thought this about the supposed 'politics' at Celtic. People often talk about the club being working class or losing its working class roots. Yet at the moment we are living through a period of Tory government, austerity and recession, and where are the politics there? Why no unified outcry about local poverty levels, the bedroom tax, the unemployment rate, cuts to benefits, etc, etc? People talk about our roots yet I cannot recall many banners demanding more money spent on charity and less on millionaire footballers? The recent living wage debate is as close as we have got to that in as long as I can remember.

How large were the objections to Celtic making money from punting alcohol on their tops in a part of the world with serious alcohol problems? Or punting credit to people who likely cannot afford it? Or sticking american corporation logos, who are rich through the exploitation of child labour, across our stands? These are surely all huge issues against the roots of our club and against our supposed 'politics'.

Yet where do we draw the line- when we are not allowed to sing about wars that happened years ago before many of us were even born. In a part of the world many of us have never been to. All the other stuff can be ignored but when it comes to asking people not to sing songs about the IRA then suddendly it is an attack on the history and tradition of our club?!

This is why I will never be able to take supposed football politics seriously (of any club) and why it isn't for me.

 

Do you enjoy being deliberately obtuse Sween?