Originally published at: https://www.67hailhail.com/news/violence-should-always-be-condemned-but-celtics-deflection-tactic-doesnt-wash/
Let’s start off the bat by stating that violence should always be condemned and called out whenever it occurs. I was nowhere near Celtic Park yesterday, so didn’t have the luxury of seeing exactly what went on and what didn’t go on. But what every Celtic fan knows regardless of whether you were there or…
“If this was indeed the case¬ are you accusing the hierarchy of lying? ¬I can understand what made the fans head for Celtic Park” and other comments are you trying to justify their actions? These were not true supporters a hooligan is a hooligan. Personally I feel disgusted and ashamed these so called fans besmirched the name of Celtic.
I have not once justified their actions or the violence committed and have moved to condemn all violence that may have occurred. I have stated that I understand what drove anger-fuelled supporters to Parkhead, not that I agree with marching down to the stadium during a pandemic. However, I also disagree that they’re not supporters of the club. They are, but they’ve acted poorly. But there’s a bigger point to be made about the club and their failure to listen to their fans, or customers if you want to call them that. Understanding their reasons for going down and agreeing with them are two totally different things.
The word “understand” keeps being used and it is a euphemism for “con done”. Do you “understand” hooliganism? You cannot be a hooligan at Celtic Park and a Celtic fan.
And just as you say “understand” is being used a lot, so is the phrase “hooligan”, which in my view is an outrageous word to use for many of the Celtic fans who turned up at Parkhead last night. For those who were throwing missiles at players and breaking fences? Undoubtedly so, and as I’ve said several times now, it’s unacceptable. They can indeed be branded “hooligans”. However, to call fellow supporters who went to Parkhead to let their voices be heard, to call them hooligans is grossly over the top. Hooliganism would imply that they were all behaving in a violent manner. That’s unfair and would be grouping everyone in with what was almost certainly a small number of violent protesters. Should they have went to Parkhead? Again, no - nobody should. But they’re not all hooligans, and the vast majority of Celtic fans will “understand” what fuelled them down, without agreeing with actually taking that action.
With a prominent place in the media comes influence and with influence comes responsibility or the lack of it. Your pieces continue to “fuel anger” to use your own expression. Just for starters what about “gatherings of more than six”? Your youth gives you a certain amount of protection but how many youths took the virus home to their parents of grandparents? You remind me of Unionist politicians during the flag protests. They didnt condone the violence but understood why the mobs were angry. Again the expression "if that is what happened" is used. You are even condemning the hierarchy for condemning. But as you say you werent there. The hierarchy were.
You have decided to dodge my point about hooliganism but that’s okay. For what will be the final time, I have already said I disagree with the protests and have slammed the violence, but you fail to acknowledge the distinction between an understanding of the situation and agreement with it. And the reason I say “if that is what happened” is because I think it’s naive to fully go with everything the club says. I’ve seen fellow supporters say that there were no missiles for example. Do we just tell them they’re wrong because the board said so? For me, I can’t confirm exactly what happened as I wasn’t there. I’m stating my own opinion on the situation as it stands, and I think the board have been given a nice deflection opportunity here. I’ve condemned the violence on countless occasions now so I’ve more than covered that side of it. But letting the board use this as some sort of shield is also not on.
“If you fly with the crows you are shot with the crows”. If you illegally assemble with…Being a Celtic supporter upset because youve lost a few games doesnt elevate you above everybody else no matter how much your “anger is fuelled”.