“Livingston say Celtic fans displaying an ‘unapproved’ tifo was ‘utterly unacceptable’ ” – Scottish Soccer report by the BBC
Livingston say Celtic fans displaying an ‘unapproved’ tifo was ‘utterly unacceptable’
This British Broadcasting Corporation report neatly summarizes a commercial corporate assault on the political and civil rights of Celtic soccer supporters, the Green Brigade. Most readers of this blog will recognize the faces of Ireland’s Easter 1916 Rising leaders on the large banner. The Green Brigade has regularly demonstrated with Palestine Flags at Celtic games.
These fans are now banned from Celtic home games :
Some members of the Green Brigade have had their season tickets withdrawn indefinitely, adding to an existing ban on them purchasing tickets for away games, which essentially means they have been banned from attending Celtic matches.
The move follows the Green Brigade recently defying pleas by Celtic not to bring Palestinian flags to matches.
BBC Report
Livingston have threatened to ban flags and banners at their ground after accusing Celtic’s Green Brigade supporters group of unfurling “unapproved” tifo displays on Sunday.
The Scottish Premiership club claim two banners appeared contrary to a prior agreement, describing it as “wholly and utterly unacceptable”.
Livingston have launched an internal investigation into the incidents.
BBC Scotland has approached Celtic for comment.
Livingston say they rejected a Green Brigade request – via Celtic’s supporter liaison officer – to display a tifo display in all three stands allocated to the away support.
The group also wanted to display a banner reading “You Play for Us and We’ll Sing for You” along the front of the East Stand.
A choreographed display involving a large banner was granted permission for the South Stand – and a further request, made around an hour before kick-off, for a further tifo display in all three stands “was again refused”.
“Against the instruction of the club and police, the banner was allowed into the ground, unchecked, through an emergency gate that was opened due to safety concerns,” Livingston added in a statement.
“The banner was then displayed along the front of the East Stand – again, against the agreed procedure.”
Livingston say the banner was allowed to remain in place “to prevent further disorder that may have delayed the kick off or jeopardised the game going ahead”.
A “further unapproved banner” was unfurled at the start of the second half and “visiting supporters were permitted access trackside to display the banner, which is wholly and utterly unacceptable”.
Livingston added that talks were ongoing to establish how the incidents happened and to ensure they were not repeated.
“Going forward, it may well be that no banners or flags at all, of any nature, will be permitted into the ground as an immediate way of preventing this,” they added.
Source : Green Brigade Honours Easter 1916 Rebels in Livingston
Tomás Ó Flatharta 
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