The Celtic football club’s supporters group, the Green Brigade, has had their season tickets revoked indefinitely due to what the club calls a “serious escalation” of unacceptable behaviour. It comes after the group defied pleas by the club not to bring Palestinian flags to matches. The club has cited incidents such as the widespread use of pyrotechnics and “violent and intimidating behaviour” towards stewards at an away match as reasons for the ban. However, the Green Brigade has accused the club’s board of shaming the club by “attempting to censor and sanction Palestinian solidarity”. The group argues that the “flimsy litany of allegations” has been used to unfairly punish its members.
In a statement, the Green Brigade said that “collective bans, are evidently unfair; bereft of policy, process and communications with individuals wrongfully being punished before receiving any allegation, any evidence, nor right of defense.” This was followed by the Celtic Trust calling on the club to immediately restore season ticket rights to members of the Green Brigade, accusing the club of targeting the group for their vocal and visual support for Palestine. The Trust says the club’s withdrawal of season tickets from 250 fans is “either politically motivated or motivated by an unwillingness to stand up to” European football’s governing body Uefa.
Celtic football club is widely expected to face a Uefa fine over Palestinian flags being flown by the supporters group shortly before last week’s game against Atletico Madrid. The Green Brigade, which occupies part of the north curve of Celtic Park, traditionally organizes a tifo, a choreographed display involving a large banner or image, for major games. The group handed out Palestinian flags and held up banners before the Champions League match.
The club maintains that their decision to withdraw season tickets from Green Brigade members is due to the group’s “increasingly serious escalation in these unacceptable behaviours” and “non-compliance with applicable regulations”. The effect of this ban will be seen in the Premiership game against St Mirren on Wednesday evening
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