THE special powers which Police Scotland officers were handed in a bid to prevent crowd trouble breaking out at the Edinburgh derby match at the start of this month and the Old Firm game last weekend are set to remain in use for the foreseeable future, it has been revealed.
A group of around 200 Celtic supporters were kettled on London Road in Glasgow on Sunday and prevented from attending the William Hill Premiership match against Rangers at Parkhead – treatment which The Green Brigade has since described as “draconian and unnecessary”.
The controversial ultras group revealed they were taking legal action over the “premeditated attack” and urged the Scottish champions’ chief executive Michael Nicholson, who received a report on from supporter liaison officer John Paul Taylor on the events which unfolded, to address their concerns.
Celtic released a statement on Monday night which stressed they were actively engaging in discussions with both supporters and the police after receiving a number of complaints in the wake of the 3-2 home defeat which they suffered at the hands of their city rivals.
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However, David Kennedy, the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, has defended the conduct of his organisation’s members and claimed the individuals who were kettled would have been able to watch the game if they had complied with the law.
Kennedy also argued that invoking Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 had helped to prevent a repeat of the unrest which had flared in Glasgow city centre before the Premier Sports Cup final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden back in December.
Dozens of Celtic and Rangers ultras became involved in running battles with each other and police officers on Argyle Street and pyrotechnics were set off and thrown as terrified Christmas shoppers huddled in doorways and screamed in terror.
Kennedy predicted the temporary powers which officers have been granted – which enable them to search anyone they believe is committing a crime, is intent on committing a crime or is in possession of a prohibited item - will continue to be used at major Scottish football matches going forward because of their success.
“I've spoken to some of the officers involved on Sunday,” he said. “There was a Section 60 in force and these fans didn't comply. It was well publicised that it was in place beforehand. If the individuals in question had complied then they could have gone to the game. Because they didn’t comply they had to be detained. Everything was done exactly as it should have been.
“At the end of the day, it's been put in place because of what happened with the Rangers and Celtic fans at the cup final in December. That's why it was put in play, to stop that sort of behaviour happening again.
“I fully expect Section 60 will be in play at every single Celtic and Rangers match, big derby match or any match which the police believe trouble can break out at. If you go down England you will find that Section 60 is in place every virtually football match.”
Kennedy continued: “It's not something that Police Scotland want to do because of the number of officers involved. There were 850 police officers on duty at the weekend. A lot of their rest days were either cancelled or re-rostered. They are not getting paid any extra money for it. So it's not something we actually want.
“But Section 60 is a means to an end. It has to happen to curb the violence and stop the fans who are out there to cause trouble. It's there for that reason, it's there to be used. As I say, it's very common and successful in England.
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“They've done it for a reason – to ensure the safety of the members of the public. And that is what has transpired from it. There wasn't the same trouble on Sunday that there was in the city centre in December.
“The hope is that you would never have to put these measures in place and that people would just go and watch football and go home. That's ultimately what you want. But until the sort of trouble which broke out before the cup final stops they will continue.”
