S4M-02392: Action to Tackle Offensive Behaviour at Football

03 Aug 2012

S4M-02392 John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Scottish National Party): That the Parliament notes the enactment of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012, which came into force on 1 March 2012; notes the significant amount of political debate that surrounded the passing of this legislation; further notes that two men were recently arrested by British Transport Police for “chanting and singing songs of a racially derogative nature” following the Ayr United versus Hibernian Scottish Cup match; understands that the fans involved were not connected to the Old Firm; considers that this legislation was introduced to tackle offensive behaviour throughout all of Scottish football, and believes that these recent convictions show that the legislation is robust and is allowing the police more power to tackle offensive behaviour at football.