Football Act jails young people for swearing MSPs told

A fans group, opposed to the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, have submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament calling for a review with a view to scraping the act.

They told MSPs of low conviction rates, but excessive penalties, heavy handed police tactics and political statements being deemed criminal behaviour.

Jeanette Findlay, from Fans against Criminalisation, said most offences could be covered by existing legislation and said it benefitted no-one to have the act continue.

She said: “The Act is primarily criminalising young men who would otherwise have no contact with the criminal justice system.”

She added: “We reject the idea that singing a song in support of Irish independence or wearing a ‘free Palestine’ was in itself a criminal offence.”

Kenny McAskill who was justice Secretary when the law was passed, said it was about context and asked about songs “venerating terrorists”.

He asked if such songs or chants would be offensive to the family of catholic PSNI officers like Ronan Kerr, killed by terrorists for being catholic.

Paul Quigley, also representing he fans group, said he was not aware of such a song, but if there was he agreed it would be offensive.

MSPs on the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions committee agreed to write to the Scottish government asking them to respond to the petition all for a review and to inform the Justice Committee to allow it to decide if it wanted to seek a review as part of its legacy programme for after the election.

It also agreed to seek the views of Police Scotland on the effectiveness and policing of the Act.

Committee Convener, Michael McMahon, agreed it would be good to have the views of new chief Constable Phil Gormley.

He accused his predecessor Sir Stephen House of “arrogance, narcissism and authoritarianism”.

He said that was what “drove him to this in the first place. A fresh pair of eyes from the new chief might be welcome.”