THE Scottish government is considering “extending the reach” of football banning orders in a bid to combat a concerning increase in the illegal use of pyrotechnics at matches by supporters.
The Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 made it a criminal offence for anyone to be in possession of a pyrotechnic article entering or in attendance at a sporting event in this country.
MSPs at Holyrood also passed the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 – which enables police officers to search anyone they believe may be carrying pyrotechnic devices outside of a ground without warrant – two years ago and that came into force last summer.
However, games involving Scottish clubs at home and abroad this season have once again been blighted by the ultra element among their fanbases setting off flares, strobes, smoke bombs and even firing rockets in the stands.
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Celtic were fined €20,000 and given a suspended one match away fan ban by UEFA last month for their supporters’ use of pyro at their Champions League league phase match against Borussia Dortmund in Germany last month.
Their city rivals Rangers were also been fined €19,000 and €13,750 by European football’s governing body for their fans use of fireworks at their Europa League games against Malmo away and Lyon at home.
That punishment prompted the Ibrox club’s interim chairman John Gilligan to issue a public appeal.
“My message is the use of pyrotechnics must stop and stop now at all of our matches home and away,” he said in a statement which was posted on their official website and social media channels.
"Not only could the repercussions become ever-larger for the club, many supporters have difficulty coping with the effects of pyrotechnics, whether that be the smoke or loud bangs they produce. It is desperately unfair for any Rangers supporter to come to a match and be affected in such a manner."
The meeting between Celtic and Aberdeen at the national stadium the previous evening also got underway 15 minutes later than scheduled for the same reason after supporters of the Parkhead club lit flares.
Serious injuries and even fatalities have occurred at football matches in the past due to the use of fireworks and last season a Celtic fan had his head set on fire and a young Dundee fan was scarred for life.
A KCT Menen player in a lower league match in Belgium last month lost the index finger on his right hand and needed to have his thumb and middle finger partially amputated after he picked up a Cobra 6 firecracker – a device with the power of a hand grenade – which had been thrown onto the pitch.
There were talks between representatives of the SFA, SPFL, Scottish government, Police Scotland, Football Safety Officers Association (Scotland) and PFA Scotland last November about how to tackle the alarming problem.
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That meeting took place after a Premiership game between Dundee and Rangers at Dens Park was delayed for 15 minutes after fire alarms in the Bob Shankly Stand were set off by a mass flare display.
It has now emerged that a working party is examining “extending the reach” of football banning orders, civil orders which are imposed on anyone who is convicted of a football-related offence, as part of a new action plan to combat illegal pyrotechnic use.
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Pyrotechnics can be lethal and it is a criminal offence to take or attempt to take them into football stadiums.
“An expert group is considering whether extending the reach of Football Banning Orders would be a further deterrent to this dangerous behaviour and we expect them to provide an update next year.”
