Controversies – Amsterdam & Police abuses of power (2013)

Incidents, Events & Controversies | About Celtic

Details

Match: Ajax 1-0 Celtic, European Cup, 6 Nov 2013
Reference: Abuse of power by Amsterdam police

Summary

Amsterdam conjures up many impressions, mostly hazy. However, increasingly it has become a hub for organised hooliganism which is very much in contrast to their wonderful history when it comes to football. Sadly this has been in coercion with some local police.

Celtic were drawn in the Champions League group stages v Ajax, scheduled to play in back to back matches. The home game saw Celtic win 2-1, however the match was marred by the Ajax fans ripping out seats and throwing them at the home support. Police were even handed and sadly didn’t make arrests (which was pathetic).

The second leg was important for both sides, yet it was again off field that overshadowed all else. Celtic lost one nil away and we’re out of Europe.

Celtic fans in town in the pubs were targeted by large groups of youths all in black, who attacked the pubs. Mostly it was posturing as there was little physical violence, but enough to cause concern but it did escalate.

The big problems were in the main square which saw the collected support as the normal exhubirant but friendly bunch, bolstered by fans from nearby Hamburg(St Pauli). The police though in Amsterdam are a brutal lot and without any reason attacked the supporters in the square with the inevitable fallout.

Sadly some fans were arrested, but the local police got off scott free.

Campaigns had begun to assist two men in Dutch custody, with a big word here for the Celtic Trust. From the evidence it was police brutality.

Without being too one sided, there were a lot of drunken Celtic fans (some stoned too as it’s Amsterdam) but we’ve no history of trouble. A number could have used more sense and behaved better (esp with respect to litter) but that’s part and parcel with travelling fans. Ajax has enough experience of this.

Incredibly the Scottish media were less supportive than the Dutch media. The support was growing with reports of excessive police brutality and trouble. Recently other Dutch teams were complaining of similar treatment and handling by the Dutch authorities in Amsterdam. We’d made a lot of new friends quite fast.

Note: Celtic had played in the Netherlands twice in recent years (Utrecht and Amsterdam (friendly)) with no problems, so doesn’t indicate we were going for bother.

The first ruling on six supporters sentenced them to a menial one or two months each subject to appeal. When you looked at the evidence it was surprising that it wasn’t dismissed and kangaroo court comes to mind.

Incredibly, we ended up receiving support from the most unlikely support, a Dutch hooligan group who backed our call that the Dutch police were excessive and brutal against our supporters. Unwanted it may be and ironic, but the Dutch police were now with their backs to the walls but still unaccountable.

The whole experience was a difficult one, but this scenario is likely to be replayed again and again by many other sides to visit Amsterdam over coming years.

On 25th January 2019, after a 5 year battle, the Dam Bhoys battle for justice was vindicated in a Dutch legal verdict which cleared 4 boys with a fifth having his sentence cut to a month’s suspended for a reduced charge. It was belatedly and finally some justice. In an unusual decision judges also said that three of them should never have been prosecuted. The judges also said “If the court cannot trust the statements of police officers, then the criminal justice system will fall apart like a house of cards”.

The brutality of the Romeo squad of the Amsterdam police and their subsequent lies and attempted cover-up has been exposed to the world and the determination of the whole Celtic support to achieve justice has been shown to be justified. Congratulations go to Dutch legal team.

Much respect to all who fought on the side of right.

• https://thecelticstar.com/amsterdam-vindication-a-must-read-article-for-every-single-celtic-supporter/
• https://thecelticstar.com/amsterdam-vindication-celtic-supporters-in-the-clear-after-5-year-struggle/

Links

• 2013-11-06: Ajax 1-0 Celtic, European Cup
• The Fenian Lamppost

Forums

• KDS thread

Articles

Ajax hooligans claim Celtic fans were subject of ‘excessive police violence’ during Amsterdam riots
Daily Record

MEMBERS of Ajax’s Ultra VAK410 group backed Celtic fans – claiming Dutch police had subjected them to “countless knees and strikes” in Dam Square.

Ajax fans’ note on pole condemning Dutch police Ajax fans’ note on pole condemning Dutch police

AJAX hooligans have backed Celtic fans who claim to have suffered at the hands of police in Amsterdam.

In a bizarre move, the Dutch fans have honoured a pole that an undercover policeman was shown running headlong into during clashes involving Hoops supporters before the Champions League match this month.

Members of Ajax’s Ultra VAK410 group have labelled it the Pole of Justice.

They have attached a message condemning what they describe as “excessive police violence” against “defenceless Scots” in Dam Square.

Last week, five Celtic fans were handed prison sentences of up to two months for their part in the clashes.

Many Hoops supporters claim Dutch police were heavy-handed and provoked the violence.

In some cases, plain-clothes officers did not identify themselves and fans thought they were under attack from Ajax casuals.

The message from Ultra VAK410 on the pole claims Dutch police subjected fans to “countless knees and strikes”.

It adds: “The fight against excessive police violence will never stop.”

In court in Amsterdam last Thursday, Padraig Mullan, 28, of Belfast, and Damian Dobbin, 23, of Hamilton, were ordered to serve two months in jail for assaulting undercover officers.

Andrew Vance, 21, of Blantyre, and and Tam Kennedy, 30, of Lanarkshire, were given jail terms of six weeks for throwing cans.

Glasgwegian Joe Macpherson, 20, was ordered to serve one month for putting an officer in a headlock.

The five, who denied the charges, were immediately released after they signalled their intention to appeal against the convictions.

Violence before the Champions League match Violence before the Champions League match

A video posted online shows the undercover police officer running into the pole during the violence on November 6.

It is believed he suffered serious head injuries and is still in hospital.

Shocking footage has also emerged of undercover officers’ overt use of violence during some arrests.

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Dam Square Celtic violence linked to Ajax hooligans

3 Dec 2013 The Scotsman

The mayor of Amsterdam has blamed Ajax hooligans for stirring the violence that erupted in the Dutch capital ahead of Celtic’s Champions League game last month.
A report by the city’s police force said the rioting in Dam Square was triggered when a group of three Ajax supporters stole a flag from a group of Celtic fans.
City mayor Eberhard van der Laan said that that incident, and a ‘hit-and-run’ raid on a bar packed with travelling supporters the night before, were the main spur for the outbreak of violence on November 6.
In a letter to the city council he wrote: “I interpret this hooligan behaviour as possibly the most important cause for the emergence of disorder between the Celtic supporters and the Amsterdam police at Dam Square on 6 November at around 17.30.”
Fans’ group The Celtic Trust condemned the mayor’s conclusions as “a cover-up of the brutal and criminal behaviour of the Dutch police” and said they would “work to clear their good names”.
Five Celtic fans are appealing against prison sentences handed down by Amsterdam’s district court for using violence against police. They claim the undercover officers who arrested them failed to identify themselves and have accused the police of brutality.
Dossier
Celtic have submitted a dossier of 25 complaints by fans to a Dutch lawyer who is deciding whether to press charges against the Amsterdam police.
Videos posted on social media showed one Celtic fan, Padraig Mullen, being dragged to the ground and kneed by a police officer in plain clothes, and others being hit with batons.
Van der Laan asked police to submit a report to the city council on the chaotic half-hour on Dam Square that led to the arrest of 28 Celtic fans and 17 Ajax supporters.
The report said Celtic fans had been in Dam Square since the morning and were drinking heavily, but were on good terms with the police until the violence started.
Police said the flashpoint came when three Ajax fans snatched a Celtic flag and ran off from the square. As uniformed police tried to arrest the Ajax fans they came under attack from travelling supporters, according to the report by police chief Jan Pronker.
“The challenging attitude and violence on the part of the Celtic fans towards the police was unexpected in terms of its origin, development and scale. This did not conform to the ‘good reputation’ of these supporters,” the report said.
Mayor Van der Laan said he had concluded that “all necessary measures were taken by the police in their preparations and focussed on preventing escalation.”
He went on: “The Detention Unit agents were met with excessive violence from some of the Celtic supporters and no fewer than seven agents were injured.
“For a short time the Detention Unit agents no longer felt safe. They must, and are expected to, react proportionately in such a situation.”
Jeanette Findlay of the Celtic Trust said: “This letter, and the ‘investigation’ on which it is based, is no more than a cover-up of the brutal and criminal behaviour of the Dutch police.
“We find it incredible that the Dutch authorities have allowed the police to investigate themselves in this matter and even more incredible that their elected representatives find this letter acceptable.
“We continue to protest the innocence of our fans who did not receive a trial as we would understand it.
“Their appeal is lodged and we will continue to work to clear their good names and the good name of the Celtic support.
“We hope at the end of this that there will be criminal charges brought against members of the Dutch police and compensation received for brutal treatment meted out to numerous Celtic supporters on that night.”
Padraig Mullen, 28, and 23-year-old Damian Dobbin, from Hamilton, received jail sentences of two months at the District Court in Amsterdam on November 22.
Thomas Kennedy, 30, and Andy Vance, 21, were sentenced to six weeks and Joseph McPherson, 20, were given a one-month sentence. All have been released and returned home pending an appeal. A sixth man, John Quigley, was acquitted.

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Celtic Football Club statement

By: Newsroom Staff on 27 Nov, 2013 16:44

FOLLOWING Tuesday´s UEFA Champions League match at Celtic Park against AC Milan, UEFA have confirmed that they have opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic for an incident of a non-sporting nature (illicit banner).

Celtic Football Club has released the following statement.

´During the last two matches at Celtic Park, banner displays have taken place which have not been approved by Celtic Football Club. These were displays which were in no way football-related and which have no place at Celtic Park.

Celtic Football Club can confirm that any individual or group identified as being involved in any form of political display at a match involving Celtic will be banned immediately from attending matches involving the Club.

With regard to last night´s display, the Club made it abundantly clear in advance to the group in question that only football-related displays would be permitted and that any political display would lead to a UEFA charge. We, in turn, received an assurance that all displays would be 100 per cent relevant to Celtic. Therefore, the actions of this group are clearly very disappointing. We have been inundated with complaints from Celtic supporters regarding the display.

Celtic does more now than it ever has to liaise with and support the numerous fans´ groups which exist. We have encouraged and facilitated all groups and their support for the Club through various initiatives. It is clear, however, that by some at least this courtesy has not been reciprocated.’

Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: “Last night was nothing more than clear disrespect for the Club and our supporters who now face another UEFA charge.

“There have now been a number of UEFA charges made against the Club during the last three years, relating to behaviour, displays and pyrotechnics – it cannot go on any further.

“Let´s be very clear. Following the actions of a small minority, these charges are made against the CLUB. It is the reputation of Celtic, our great Club and our great fans which is damaged, while others carry on indulging in such behaviour.

“Our supporters do not want this any more. We are a non-political organisation, a top football club in fantastic shape, aiming to play its part as a major football club on the European stage.

“Regardless of the political views people hold, football stadia, whether it is Celtic Park or anywhere else, should not be used to promote these. This is something which all football authorities, including UEFA, have stressed for some time and something well known by all supporters.

“The Club don’t want it, our manager and our team don´t want it, our supporters don’t want it and the football authorities don’t want it – it has to stop.

“Celtic is a world-class football club and rightly proud of its wonderful reputation in the game. This is a reputation hard-earned by our supporters over many years. We cannot and will not allow this reputation to be tarnished any further.”

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Comment: Trouble in Paradise for Green Brigade

by DANI GARAVELLI

The Scotsman

Published on the
14 December
2013
21:21

Celtic have banned their ultra fans the Green Brigade, but is it really political activism that’s being punished, asks Dani Garavelli

WITH their passion, their ­colourful and provocative banners, and their anti-authoritarian attitude, the Green Brigade breathed new spirit into the all-seater Celtic Park, aka Paradise to faithful fans.

That’s something few supporters would dispute. The ultras’ youthful defiance combined with their ability to produce stunning visual expressions of cultural identity revitalised matches which had had the life sucked out of them by health and safety rules, corporate interests and heightened sensibilities around sectarianism.

Take the notorious Four Horseman of the Apocalypse display, featuring Neil Lennon, Hector the taxman, Death and Craig Whyte advancing towards beleaguered Rangers, which was unfurled on the last Old Firm derby of the 2012 season. Whatever your loyalties, it would be difficult not to marvel at the creative energy which went into the realisation of that goading image, accompanied by an array of tombstones across Section 111, the part of the stadium the Green Brigade made its own.

Given the way the supporters’ group boosted the atmosphere, it is little wonder the club has often encouraged its activities, trading on its full stadium display to celebrate Celtic’s 125th anniversary before its victory against Barcelona. “I would say there’s a commercial advantage to the club from having a group of fans who, from their own time and energy, talent and money, provide that kind of support,” says Jeannette Findlay of the Celtic Trust.

Yet like Frankenstein’s monster, the left-wing group seems to be veering out of control. As its members’ anger towards the Offensive Behaviour and Threatening Communications at Football Act – a piece of legislation many see as an attempt to criminalise fans – has mounted, they have sung Irish Republican songs with greater gusto and their displays have become more overtly political, incurring the wrath of Uefa. When a banner showing William Wallace and Bobby Sands, which riffed on the old freedom fighter/terrorist paradox, was unfurled at the Champions League match against AC Milan last month, manager Neil Lennon accused them of “going rogue”. Celtic were fined £42,000 for the protest, the fourth time the club has been punished as a result of fan indiscretions in two years.

But it was the behaviour of supporters within Section 111 at the recent match against Motherwell at Fir Park, when flares were set off and seats destroyed, that proved a tipping point. Last week, the club ended the Green Brigade’s dominance by handing out “precautionary suspensions” to 128 of its members, while forcing 250 season ticket-holders housed in Section 111 to move to other parts of the ground or have their season ticket money refunded.

For those who believe the Green Brigade was long ago swallowed up by its own ego, the move was overdue. Closing his parody Twitter account, The Greetin’ Brigade, one supporter wrote: “I’m [now] positive that a line will be drawn in the sand and the proper fans who have the sole objective of supporting the team within the confines of the law, will now have a safe environment to achieve that.”

But for others it is a massive over-­reaction, and a surrender to a prevailing political agenda which wants to outlaw all displays of Irish nationalism. Though no-one condones the ripping up of seats, Celtic fans are quick to point out that such vandalism takes place at other matches (Motherwell fans recently destroyed seats at New Douglas Park) without attracting the same degree of opprobrium.

In any case, those who support the Green Brigade believe last week’s vandalism is a red herring; what its members are really being punished for, they say, is their activism, and they claim that is rank hypocrisy. “We are told politics should be kept out of football, but then the SFA holds a minute’s silence for Mandela,” says one Celtic fan, who is not a member of the Green Brigade. “I have the greatest respect for Mandela, but how can that possibly be seen as anything other than a political statement?”

One could also question the apparent double standards in Uefa’s tolerance of pro-Catalan flags in the Nou Camp and ask whether or not we would disapprove of an Eritrean refugee who wanted to cele­brate his heritage through songs about past battles.

The Green Brigade believes its members have been the victim of heavy-handed policing (although others have pointed out the policing at Fir Park was virtually nonexistent). And it feels particularly aggrieved at the way in which Celtic fans have been arrested for singing Roll of Honour, which commemorates the IRA Hunger Strikers. “This song has nothing to do with supporting any armed organisation but is about remembering the sacrifice of ten ordinary young men who gave their lives in their campaign against criminalisation,” a spokesman tells Scotland on Sunday.

“Nelson Mandela cited Bobby Sands as an inspiration and led his own hunger strike at Robben Island shortly afterwards. It’s ironic that this week football clubs across Europe have celebrated Mandela yet our fans are in the dock for displaying banners depicting Sands.”

The way the Green Brigade highlights such contradictions may not meet with everyone’s approval, but they do raise questions which cannot be easily dismissed. For example, is the new Act a legitimate weapon with which to tackle residual sectarianism or a means by which to clamp down on expressions of Irish identity? And should we really expect sport to exist in a vacuum or accept that – from Barcelona to Cairo to Glasgow – football, nationalism and politics are inextricably intertwined?

The Green Brigade wasn’t formed until 2006, but the ultra movement, which is synonymous with banners, choreographic displays, fireworks and drums, has thrived in other European countries since the late 60s. Though often associated with right-wing ideologies, there are many left-wing ultras such as those attached to Livorno and the Hamburg-based St Pauli, with whom Green Brigade members have struck up a friendship. In north Africa, ultras were instrumental in the Arab Spring, particularly the uprising against President Mubarak in Egypt.

“Our group was not modelled on any others but instead sought to marry ultra culture with the unique identity of the Celtic support,” the Green Brigade spokesman says. “This was not a particularly big leap as our support have always been a bit different to the norm in Scotland and Britain; we’ve always been known for our passion and noise, and have always been proud to show our colours. Given Celtic’s roots, our fans have always been proud of our Irish identity and supported the Irish nationalist cause, and our group naturally followed in this tradition.”

Describing itself as anti-fascist, the group has been involved in political campaigning and charitable work. It organises the biggest bloc on the STUC’s anti-racism march, runs its own annual anti-discrimination football tournament, seeks to engage asylum-seekers and regularly organises food bank collections. After the Scottish Government introduced the new legislation, however, the Green Brigade began to engage in increasingly provocative behaviour. The Act, which became law in 2012, makes it illegal to sing certain songs inside and outside the stadium, on public transport, in streets and pubs, although its many critics point out it was already possible to tackle unacceptable football-related behaviour through existing legislation.

“There has always been a law of breach of the peace and prior to the introduction of the new legislation, people at football grounds were convicted under that law for behaving in a manner that was objectively seen to be offensive,” says Brian ­McConnachie QC. “The situation now is that the police know which area will house the people who are likely to sing those songs, so they film them on their hand-held cameras. They specifically target individuals, then they take the time to look at the footage and work out whether they are singing the song in question. They prosecute them and, at the trial, the only evidence that requires to be led is the evidence of two police officers to say, that’s the guy, here’s the video footage, we heard the singing.

“Nobody in the ground was offended or made a complaint, but nonetheless he’s guilty of that offence and, potentially at least, liable to a custodial sentence. It is crime creation in many ways.”

According to the Green Brigade, victimisation by the police is not confined to taking pictures. “We’ve had fans arrested at airports when returning from family holidays on bogus charges that are dropped as soon as they reach court and supporters dragged from their beds in co-ordinated dawn raids as if they were big-time drug dealers,” the spokesman says.

The Green Brigade has campaigned against the Act with the Celtic umbrella group Fans Against Criminalisation, but it has also produced banners like the one in November 2010, protesting over the placing of a Remembrance Day poppy on a Celtic shirt, and the more recent Bobby Sands one.

To Findlay, such actions are welcome evidence of engagement. “What really gets me in an age when we have young people who are so politically disengaged, is that you take a group of people who are so politically active, so willing to get out and voice an opinion and to work productively with other organisations, and you suggest they’re a problem,” she says. “Well, they’re a problem to the people who don’t want to hear what they’ve got to say, but in terms of society, I would be more worried about the young people who sit around watching Big Brother, those who have no political involvement.”

To others, however, including the man who ran the Greetin’ Brigade, the group has become a “self-indulgent circus act”. Either way, their activities, which have included letting off flares, could be seen as counter-productive, leading not to an early review of the law, but to bad publicity. “I don’t think the Green Brigade are doing themselves any favours” says ­McConnachie. “One wonders how many of the people in their section have a clue what these songs are about. Of course, some do, but I’m sure there are many who are going along with the crowd and it’s just a means of noising up the police.”

And that’s before you address last week’s trouble at Fir Park. Though the Green Brigade denies its members were personally responsible, it admits “that as a group that believes in fan control” it should have policed the section better.

Nevertheless it believes the decision to impose a collective punishment on its members is disproportionate. “We cannot see why the alleged misdemeanours of a small minority of people who may not even stand in our section at 111 should impact on everyone who does,” the spokesman says. “If someone deliberately breaks a seat at a football stadium then they should expect that action will be taken against them, and that they may be banned for a period from football games. However if football clubs here wanted to have better relationships with their fans they would do well to look at some of the models from some clubs in Germany and elsewhere, where fans and club directors work consensually on contentious issues and disciplinary matters.”

Though the brigade laments the loss of its section, it has no intention of giving up its fight against the new law. “Wherever you go, you’ll find that Irish communities (like every other diaspora group) express themselves through music and song, singing about past and present events in their motherland,” the spokesman says. “That’s what [our] fans have always done, whether that was Celtic’s founding fathers singing about the Manchester Martyrs and the Fenians, or my granda’s generation singing for Kevin Barry or James Connolly, or my own remembering Bobby Sands and the Hunger Strikers.

“Now singing about events during conflicts might not be to your personal taste, but the idea that it should be outlawed is utterly ridiculous.”

Nor does the Green Brigade plan to give up its charitable work. A food bank collection outside Celtic Park before the Hearts game will go ahead next Saturday as planned. “We’ve had some great days and fantastic nights in 111 over the past three and a half years of having an official section, so it’s a real disappointment to lose it,” the spokesman says. “It’s definitely not the end of the Green Brigade though. We are far more than just a small section in one corner of Celtic Park, we’re a spirit that will endure and a group of brilliant bhoys and ghirls that will continue to do our thing.”

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The Green Brigade: Celtic gave us enough rope to hang ourselves
EXCLUSIVE by James Hamilton
Sunday Herald
Pasted from <http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/club-gave-us-enough-rope-to-hang-ourselves.22958708>

Sunday 15 December 2013
‘CELTIC have basically said here’s your rope – and we’ve allowed ourselves and others to hang us.” That statement amounts to an admission of assisted suicide from Scotland’s most controversial group of football fans.

Green Brigade banners featuring Bobby Sands and William Wallace unveiled during the Uefa Champions League match against AC Milan at Celtic Park last month caused the club to be fined EUR50,000 (£42,000)Photograph: Brian Stewart/EPA
Fêted by Rod Stewart and lauded by England manager Roy Hodgson, the Green Brigade – Celtic’s group of “self-styled ultras” or hardcore fans – appears to have lost its war with the club and the goodwill of fellow supporters.
In the last month, the Green Brigade’s love/hate relationship with Celtic’s hierarchy has become one of just hate. One of its politically charged banners landed the club with another fine from European football’s governing body last week, and its association with the damage at Motherwell’s Fir Park stadium caused by setting off pyrotechnic flares and the breaking of seats is likely to see the club’s place in the experiment of Friday night football pulled.
As a result, more than 120 of the Green Brigade’s members and associates are suspended from Celtic Park, and its notorious Section 111 within the ground has been broken up.
In the popular imagination, they have had their status as Scottish football’s bête noir confirmed, shifting from a noisy, colourful, provocative and politically confrontational group to essentially hooligans with a fondness for Irish Republican paramilitaries.
Police Scotland, determined to make the contentious Offensive Behaviour at Football Act work, and whose officers have had regular brushes with the Green Brigade, could not have wished for better headlines.
It all seems a long way from their pivotal role in making nights like last season’s win over Barcelona among the best in living memory.
“Celtic have done what the police couldn’t do and that’s put the game beyond repair for us,” one member of the Green Brigade told the Sunday Herald.
“Will it end the group? Well, it could go either way, limping on and people could then chuck it. The moment might have gone. Lots of things are mounting up. The harassment from the cops and Celtic takes its toll.
“But when we got this thing going we were underground. We were raw. But we lost that. We went from one end of the spectrum to being in Rod Stewart’s book. The kids have ripped it up in the last weeks. I think we all have.”
The Green Brigade has a core of around 80 members, a decision-making inner circle of around 30 and a wider associated circle in its section within Celtic Park of around 350 people. Its successful underground merchandising operation would give the impression of a much larger group, however.
Police Scotland admits the group are not “casuals”. It has dismissed links with illegal groups in Northern Ireland, but expressed concern about the group’s use of pyrotechnics, the “vulnerability” of younger members and breaching the Offensive Behaviour Act via songs the force sees as falling foul of the legislation.
Since the introduction of the legislation, many of the Green Brigade’s members and associates have been arrested and brought to court for a breach of the act.
The Green Brigade was formed by no more than half a dozen members of a previous singing section, the Jungle Bhoys, who became disillusioned with that group around 2005 and wanted something more political which spoke to the Ultras scene of clubs such as Germany’s St Pauli or Livorno in Italy.
Soon they were active at anti-racism and STUC events, but still numbered only around a dozen marching behind their own banners. But when Celtic gave over a section of its ground to the burgeoning group, numbers started to snowball.
“By the time it’s 2010, the group gets Section 111 and we realise we’ve a movement on our hands.
“How do you get in? Well, you’ve got to turn up for games for starters. Then there’s paint nights, helping out with banners, setting up before big games in the ground. It’s almost like having another job and a lot of work goes into it away.
“To get in – it’s almost like an interview with people who are in your wider company. The group’s looking for people with different opinions, but on the three main topics.”
But controversy was never far away. A Remembrance Day banner demanding “No bloodstained poppy on our Hoops” brought widespread condemnation, and a Uefa fine for “illicit chanting” following the singing of songs referring to the IRA during the team’s Europa League run in 2011 was met with the notorious “F**k Uefa” banner at a subsequent game.
But for all his condemnation, Celtic’s chief executive, Peter Lawwell, kept the group on board, an acknowledgement of its input to the atmosphere at an otherwise moribund Celtic Park. Manager Neil Lennon also made a point of singling them out for praise when presented with the League trophy.
The Green Brigade member the Sunday Herald spoke to stands by their banners, including the ones linking IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands to William Wallace. However, several members of the Green Brigade have faced criminal action for singing the anthem Roll Of Honour, which commemorates the hunger strikes through the line “England you’re a monster”. They argue that Flower Of Scotland carries the same sentiment. He said: “The group was becoming part of the Celtic Park experience, part of the day trip; the section isn’t as hardcore as many think.
“But the banners over the last few years haven’t been about pushing the boat out and trying to annoy the club. Every single one of the banners had a deeply held belief and a point behind it.
“Like the Bobby Sands and William Wallace banner. A lot of people were scratching their heads. Even other Celtic fans were asking what this was about. But we knew. Anyone affected by the Offensive Behaviour Act knew. And if your audience is based around people getting arrested at the football, what better audience to make your point in front of?
“Forums and fanzines have had their day. It gets to the point where things build up a head of steam. The Offensive Behaviour Act came in and while people had reservations how it would affect them, it was not until it came in that we knew just how.
“And that’s not just the group. It’s those who were in our wider area and wider social circle. Away games is where the arrests are. Cops picking up easy targets, daft drunk kids who don’t realise the consequences of their actions and whose lives can be ruined for singing a song with their mates.
“And we get the label we do because people in Scotland aren’t willing, even now, to accept Irish Republican views as an acceptable political ideology. Back in the days of the Jungle, no-one was really picking up on this, but the last few years have thrown up a generation of tut-tutters who sang much much worse [songs] than we do now.”
If the knock-out blow was the Motherwell game, then the Green Brigade admit they “took their eye off the ball”. The emergence of a group of affiliated young Turks in the last year, the Style Mile Vandals (SMV) brought the edge of drunkenness and hooliganism to Celtic away fixtures. So who are the SMV?
“Well, they’re kind of the naughty wee brother who got kind of carried away. They’ve been on the go about a year, are younger kids and into graffiti and stuff. These are the guys out late at night putting up stickers and spray painting.
“The Union Bears [Rangers’ ‘ultras’] have something similar. But there’s a huge difference between the SMV and the Green Brigade, even if there’s an overlap of a few members.
“The Green Brigade kind of don’t want the notoriety as individuals; the SMV want to be the big boys. They see themselves as a group within a group and the Green Brigade are annoyed they’ve been pursuing their notoriety.
“My view? The recent pyro stuff hasn’t just been the SMV and the kids around the group. It’s easy enough to find online and it’s also cheap enough to find online and it’s also cheap enough for anyone to buy. However, a lot people need a bogeyman to blame.”

Amsterdam – The Battle for the Truth

Amsterdam – The Battle for the Truth

By CQN Magazine on 29th August 2015 Football Matters

FROM CQN MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2013, WRITTEN BY BRTH…

Lazy Journalism. The accusation levelled against the MSM by Celtic Quick News just under 10 years ago when Paul Brennan set up the blog. After Celtic fans were attacked in Amsterdam these very same journalists couldn’t help themselves – Jackson on the radio equating the trouble in Amsterdam to riots in Manchester when Rangers fans went on the rampage. Spiers on Twitter condemning the Celtic fans as the trouble-makers before he was aware of any facts. As the truth emerged on social media and on blogs like CQN it seemed that none of these lazy journalists had the stomach to come out and state exactly what had happened. CQN decided if they wouldn’t tell the story of what really happened in Amsterdam then we would spend some time ourselves finding out. Not just stating our opinion – as Spiers and Jackson had done – but carry out some good old fashioned proper journalism. Here is what actually happened in Amsterdam…

Late on Wednesday evening, before a single headline was written about Celtic’s defeat in the Amsterdam ArenA I received a message from someone well connected in Scottish media circles.

The message informed me that there were plenty of happy hacks on the way home on the plane!

Happy Hacks? Why? I asked. Because Celtic had lost?

No- I was told- It was because they had a “story”—and such a “story” was good for newspaper sales.

Any subsequent reading of the Scottish press coverage of the events of Wednesday afternoon and evening can be summed up as follows:

Battle for Amsterdam: 48 fans were arrested, mostly Celtic fans, after unsavoury incidents in the centre of Amsterdam. The Celtic fans were charged after battling with Dutch Police. Eight officers were injured and one officer was knocked unconscious. “At the end of the afternoon a large group of Celtic supporters attacked police officers in plain clothes,” a police spokesman said.

“Eight were injured and one was knocked unconscious. A few of them had broken noses and needed stitches above their eyebrows and on their lips.

“Bottles and sticks were used in the attack which came out of nowhere.”

That was the story for Thursday morning, and from all the copy available the message was quite clear: Celtic fans had gone on the rampage!

Immediately the social media went into meltdown with eye witness after eye witness saying that the reporting was neither accurate nor fair.

24 hours on and some reports began to suggest that there may have been heavy-handed policing and that some fans may have acted in self defence—but with the emphasis still on the notion that the Celtic fans had just lost it. Despite a previously accepted fantastic reputation in Europe, it was suggested that Celtic fans had become the worse for drink in the centre of Amsterdam with the inevitable result—TROUBLE!

It took some considerable time for it to become clear that some of the fans arrested had been released from Police custody without being charged with any crime whatsoever, and that others had in fact been released on payment of fines of “up to 500 Euros” while 6 remained in custody charged with violent order offences.

Even later it was revealed that 4 of these had been released on bail and that 2 were in custody.

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Those two are called Padraig Mullan and Andy Vance.

The newspapers were able to reveal that if convicted of such offences the accused could face several years’ imprisonment – thus showing that there is a keen interest in Dutch law amongst the Scottish footballing scribes.

However as of Friday night certain salient facts were still conspicuously absent from reports, and over the course of the weekend nothing has been done to in any way fill out the actual facts in our newspapers.

For example the press had been informed that one police officer involved in the incidents had been knocked unconscious during the fighting leaving everyone under the impression he had been knocked out by violent fans. This message came directly from a police press release.

However, available video footage clearly showed that the police officer concerned actually knocked himself out by running into a pole in a Benny Hill type moment thus proving that his temporary state of unconsciousness could not be attributed to the acts of any Celtic fan!

Admittedly, he was running away from angry Celtic fans that were pursuing him for reasons which are now clear.

The fact is that the same officer is a member of the special AE plain clothed force snatch squad which is deployed by the Amsterdam authorities on certain occasions.—-

The officer concerned was clearly caught on camera using totally excessive force and violence by punching, kneeing and striking Padraig Mullan who was being held by a number of his colleagues and who appeared to be defenceless against such a beating.

None of the video footage available shows Mullan striking any Policemen or conducting himself in any way that would warrant arrest.

An apparently badly beaten Mullan is one of those who remain in custody for reasons that are best known to the Dutch authorities.

There are photos of Padraig Mullan—there are photos of the beating he took at the hands of the police officers—and there are photos of the policeman running into the pole—but none of these matters have been reported by OUR press!

However, beyond that there are other issues and items of omission from the press reports.

For example, where is the analysis of recent events in Amsterdam? The city has seen consistent football fan trouble in recent years. Whether the fans are from Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, England, Anderlecht, Feyenoord, Dinamo Zagreb, Steau Bucharest or many others — there always seem to be some sort of trouble in Amsterdam.

Why was this not mentioned? Why was it not examined?

Further, it would appear that there have been several incidents where visiting football fans have been attacked by Ajax fans at the Old Sailor pub—where strangely enough Celtic fans were attacked by a massed hooded mob on Tuesday night!

You would think that the Scottish press’ interest in such regular attacks at this pub might be piqued? Why were the Police not looking out for such trouble? Why could they not prevent it?

Alas the press does not appear to be that curious.

So, let’s move on then to another very strange omission.

Let me introduce you to the word NOODBEVEL.

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A Noodbevel is an emergency curfew order which can be made by a municipal mayor or other suitable official in terms of article 175 of the Municipal law and article 178 of Public law bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.

Basically when the order is given under Dutch law, the police are allowed to use extraordinary powers to quell riots, seditious movement of people, or public disorder. Not only that the order can be given to prevent a situation when the authorities just THINK there is going to be any of the types of disturbance above.

When the order is given, the police, assisted by the special AE Plain clothed snatch squads (including the man who beat up Padraig Mullan) are entitled to simply clear the streets by more or less any means necessary—including force.

Or to quote a senior Dutch Policeman who was asked to comment on such tactics under the Noodbevel provisions:

“ They don’t ask questions!”

Further, the law also states that in the event of any person refusing to move along or follow an officer’s command once a Noodbevel has been granted, then that person shall be guilty of an offence.

But of course, you will not have read any of that in the Scottish press.

Not only that, you will also not have read that the Amsterdam authorities regularly issue Noodbevel’s when visiting football fans come to their city. In fact, they have issued Noodbevel’s on virtually every occasion when there have been reports of mass arrests and civic violence on the day of a big match.

It is a practice that has been criticised in Holland by various people including visiting football fans. As a result of the incidents of last Wednesday night, one leading Dutch MP Robert Flos leader VVD party has started to ask serious questions of the Mayor and why the order was given so late in the day when Celtic fans had so obviously spent the entire day in the city without causing any incident?

Now, the omission of any mention of the Noodbevel law in the Scottish Press is very odd indeed—you will recall they were pretty quick to establish the maximum sentence that could be handed down to the Celtic fans in the event of their being convicted.

However, that omission is extremely strange when you consider that the Mayor of Amsterdam Eberhard Van Der Laan issued a Noodbevel order late on Wednesday afternoon when the visiting Celtic fans were already massed in Dam Square!

You would think that this would be something that the Scottish press would want to highlight?

Alas no.

You see the Noodbevel order was nothing whatsoever to do with Celtic fans. Instead it was ordered because the mayor feared trouble from fans of Anderlecht, St Pauli, and in particular the fans of Dinamo Zagreb who were all in Holland and feared to be in Amsterdam.

There had been trouble with Anderlecht fans before and Dinamo Zagreb have a group of ultra fans called the ”Bad Blue boys” who had also previously been the cause of disturbances.

Accordingly, as the Celtic fans partied in Dam Square, where they had been told to go as a fan area, in what was described in Holland as a party atmosphere, they had no idea whatsoever that the Mayor of Amsterdam had issued the Noodbevel and had effectively called out the riot squad.

All of this was widely reported across the Dutch media—but not a word in Scotland!

It is undoubtedly the case that at precisely 17:54PM when the Police in riot gear, or on horseback, or in plain clothes marched into Dam Square and the surrounding area in numbers the mood changed.

Completely changed.

The Celtic fans had no idea what was happening and according to reports the mood turned ugly. One Irish Celtic fan is heard on camera saying that he had never seen anything like it despite following Celtic all over the world.

Let’s pause there.

The Dutch press says that the Noodbevel, which was ordered had nothing to do with Celtic and that until late in the afternoon the Celtic fans were in party mood with no trouble until the arrival of the police.

This despite the fact that there had been gangs of Ajax fans who had set about attacking Celtic fans in the Molly Malone and Old Sailor Pubs. Despite well documented attacks by hooded thugs there had been no retaliation from Celtic fans.

Now, the fans were faced with a massed and aggressive police force who used their Noodbevel powers to summarily clear the streets without any warning and without the massed Celtic fans having any idea what was going on or why.

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At this juncture there are various reports of the Police being heavy-handed and excessive in their approach.

Here are two eye witness reports of what happened next:

Barry Currier:

“ I Arrived in Dam Square on the night of the game at about 5.40 pm. I was watching the commotion as it unfolded and I got split up from my brother and cousin as the riot cops came charging at the fans. My brother and cousin were then in the square and I was outside standing at one of the cafes.

There was a police van (blue) coming down the road were the riot cops had made a unified line. The van was not going fast but it wasn’t going to stop either, and I saw umpteen people getting bounced off it as it came through. At this point it was approaching where I was located and again it seemed to steamroll through the Celtic fans without care, and at that time I stepped in front because there was a danger to the public, I shouted ..”whoa!! watch what your doing” as I shepparded a guy back onto the footway.

Out of nowhere I got punched. I didn’t fall, but looked up and saw 3-4 guys (sort of in a pack swarming me. I did my best to protect myself and ended up in a scrap so to to speak as I felt the blows raining down on me. Then I heard someone say (we are the police) and at this time I felt relieved as I thought I was going to get an almighty kicking … low and behold it was the police that were assaulting me..

I was then put in the van and taken to prison along with fellow Celtic supporters.”

Another Celtic fan, Jason Higgins, reports as follows:

“We set off on Wednesday morning from Glasgow via Gatwick arriving in Amsterdam Central about 3pm after getting the train over from Schipol Airport. As usual, a good few beers had been consumed and when heading down Damrak to meet the rest of the lads; spirits were high. The news had came through that a good few of my friends were in the pub the previous night when a firm of Ajax loons had attacked it with hammers and sticks then bolted quicker than the Jamaican fella of the same name. I was also in town a fortnight earlier prior to heading up to Celtic Park hence we were under no illusions what we could be facing in Amsterdam.

That aside the mood was good as usual. I met my mates at Dam Square which was already a sea of green and white and we headed to our hotel to drop the bags off and get into the spirit of the day.

We headed back to Dam Square for about 4:30pm and met up with a load of other Bhoys and Ghirls and the party was getting into full swing and just like any other European trip the beer and songs were flowing and the smiles were wide.

A Dutch friend of mine who travelled up to see Celtic pointed out a load of casually dressed Dutch guys who he said were Dutch police but as I was just enjoying the beer I took no notice.

Thirty minutes later it happened. No idea what sparked the madness but it was here and I immediately thought the Ajax firm were here for blood. Over to my left there was a few guys in hoops getting set about with casually dressed Dutchmen and lets just say they were soon helped by various Celtic fans from nearby bars etc. It was now pandemonium with running battles between gangs of Dutch, Celtic fans and uniformed police. There were no Celtic fans to my knowledge fighting the police as these policemen were just wielding batons into the Celtic fans and not the Dutch casuals. It was now insane and totally out of control and I had no idea what was going on. I’d be lying if I said how long this went on for but it seemed an age. Loads of Celtic fans stuck together which was required to survive this onslaught.

We were here to watch a game of football and this madness had just took over out of nothing.-GR5yFYNiQic-4gFoui69APnX6yzt8AGSO5iFY1Q1x4

Eventually it calmed down and walking up Damrak towards the Metro and the game there was various battle casualties and bewilderment as to what had happened. There was anger, rage, confusion and a fair bit of relief that the Batons didn’t find my head and the handcuffs didn’t find my wrists. If you were randomly selected by the snatch squads (I’ve learned this phrase in the last few days) then your time as a free man was limited.”

What is clear and certain is that the Celtic fans were completely oblivious to why the mood on the streets had changed and why there was a sudden and unexplained change in the approach of the law enforcement officers—many of whom were in plain clothes and could not be identified as policemen and so were thought of as Dutch casuals.

Well know Glasgow publican Dave Ross was in a restaurant as part of a hospitality group just 30 seconds from Dam Square when the trouble started. Suddenly the party atmosphere outside had changed and instead mounted Police were going up and down the street.

When he and his party went to leave he was told to remain inside the restaurant but at that time all he saw in the street was a running battle between Dutch Police and a group of hooded Dutch supporters.

There seemed to be no Celtic fans in sight on that street at all—but clearly something else was going on which seems to have been omitted from Scottish Press reports—possibly because NONE of the Scottish press reporters were in fact there!

Those who were there have brought reports of mounted police battening innocent bystanders in an attempt to enforce the Noodbevel.

Worryingly, similar allegations have been made by other visiting fans in the past when a Noodbevel has been enforced.

There are internet pictures showing seated fans at a roadside bar cowering under the batons of mounted policemen.

NONE appeared in the Scottish press.

Further, the plain-clothes guys waded into the crowd and started to enforce the Mayors orders without too much of a by your leave. As can be seen from the Padraig Mullan footage he was badly beaten whilst being taken into custody—for reasons that are not yet clear to anyone.

Not surprisingly, some of the Celtic fans took umbrage at what was happening while others simply ran or cowered under police aggression. Some fans dashed into pubs, others describe not being able to get into the pubs and were consequently beaten in the street.

However, let’s not dwell on tales or tittle tattle let’s examine facts:

The number of Celtic fans arrested was TWENTY EIGHT at most.
Of the TWENTY EIGHT taken into custody TEN were released without any charge whatsoever – leaving EIGHTEEN actually arrested.
Of those EIGHTEEN—TWELVE were presented with the equivalent of what we would call a fiscal fine of up to 500 Euros. Now you will remember that anyone who does not obey an officer who issues an instruction under the Noodbevel is deemed to be guilty of an offence. The TWELVE who were issued with these fines will have been deemed guilty of breaching the Noodbevel by disobeying a policeman’s order.

They were never brought before a court, never had any evidence presented against them, nor had the opportunity of challenging the reasons for their arrest in the first place.

In fact some speak to the fact that they were never told why they were arrested at all.

Barry Currier again:

“I was interviewed by cops and gave a statement saying I had done nothing wrong but was kept in jail. At no time did they read a charge out to me, at no time did they ask if I wanted a lawyer. I was put in cell 506. The next day we were allowed to have a shower and some fresh air, and this is where I met Padraig (Mullan) whose face was in a mess.

Later I spoke to a lawyer who gave us some bad news ,stating we could be in till Friday,or at the worst next Wednesday(13.11.13). Then the Police came up to my cell and said .. “Barry pay 350 euros and your free to go!”

I had 353 euros in my possession and they stressed it had to be cash—no credit or debit cards—so I paid. I was just glad to be out of there. I had done nothing wrong, missed my transport back home and had to borrow money from others once I was out!”

Like Barry others were given the rather plain choice of paying a few hundred pounds to secure their release from a foreign jail and to make their way back home to the safety of their homes and families.

If your teenage son or whoever was offered that opportunity under those circumstances what would you advise?

That leaves SIX fans accused of something out of a visiting party of 12,000 and of these SIX only TWO remain in custody and FOUR have been bailed.

Of course of the TWO that are in custody, one is Padraig Mullan who we have seen being violently beaten by the policeman who was supposedly knocked unconscious in the fighting – whereas the truth is that he ran into a lamp post!

The other is Andy Vance and photos of his arrest can be seen here!

CQN understands that neither Andy nor Padraig have ever been in any kind of bother with the Police before and both have been badly beaten. CQN also understands that Padraig has been charged with assaulting a Policeman and that his position is that the Policeman was involved in an altercation with his group and the policeman hit his girlfriend and he was simply defending her. Yes a Policeman hitting a girl.

However, the story does not end there:

One of the photographs released on the internet shows a Celtic fan being restrained by way of a policeman and his police dog which is apparently setting about the Celtic fan.

This fan was apparently near the Square when the Police charged. Other fans ran into a pub but he and others were stranded outside when he was attacked by the Police and their Police dog. He was then taken into custody in the back of a police van and was ultimately asked to accept his guilt (in which case he would presumably have been offered the 500 Euro fine) but refused.

When he complained about his leg and where the dog had bitten him, he was taken to the hospital where he received stitches and presumably a tetanus injection.

He returned to Police custody, whereupon examination of CCTV footage showed he was a completely innocent bystander. He was then released, received a police apology AND was given the appropriate form to claim compensation!

The fan concerned had a ticket for the game but obviously missed it. He was in Amsterdam with 4 girls and getting involved in any kind of trouble was the last thing on his mind!

However, I suspect you did not read that in the press!

He was among the figure of TWENTY EIGHT arrested and blazed across the Scottish newspapers and also it should be noted, Sky Sports News.

There was a further Police assault on a Celtic fan by the name of Rory Dunbar where he was beaten by a number of plainclothes policemen.

This is clearly caught on camera and was initially shown on Dutch TV before being censored—but the original footage does exist and there are pressmen who know it.

Rory Dunbar was badly beaten but agreed to pay the Euros fine just to get away from the Police officers who inflicted the beating.

There are other accounts from bystanders describing how those arrested were taken into custody – which accounts state that the bystanders have no idea why the individuals concerned were arrested at all!

All of this information is readily available to the authorities and the press in Scotland and Holland.

The initial statements issued by the Dutch Police are extremely misleading and inaccurate in their version of events and that can clearly be shown.

So why is no one interested in getting at the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and why are there no MPs or MSPs calling for an enquiry into the conduct of the Dutch Police which was caught on camera?

We have no idea how to answer the question posed above, but then again we have no idea why none of what has been printed above has appeared in our mainstream media or why they have persisted with stories, which can now clearly be seen to be incorrect.

Some newspapers have suggested that Celtic fans behaved poorly and have been caught on camera throwing bottles and the likes, with the paper going on to say that unless this is accepted then little credibility can be given to the Celtic supporters claims of innocence.

But what the journalist does not ask is why a peaceful party, which had gone on all day suddenly turned into a running battle?

Further if Celtic fans are to be tarnished because of video evidence of disorder, what does that say about Amsterdam where there is incident after incident after incident no matter who the visiting team are? If there had been Celtic aggression where is the video evidence, or the CCTV footage, particularly against those Celtic fans that were arrested for nothing more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

The press reporting here suggests a riot in Dam square involving Celtic fans. Yet according to our information, those walking about the square at 8:00 am the following morning could find not a solitary broken window, no evidence of property damage nor any suggestion of the kind of carnage that has been suggested by some commentators.

The facts are plain—Amsterdam is not a city in which it is safe to hold a major sporting event—partly because of the attitude of some of the residents, partly because the authorities appear to have a habit of imposing a curfew with no warnings to visitors and finally because it has a police force which has been shown time and time again to conduct itself in a manner which would not be tolerated in any other major city.

How many teams must go to Amsterdam and find that their fans are caught up in Noodbevel policing before UEFA decide that they must act?

Why is none of this mentioned or investigated in our press?

Amsterdam, a city once policed by the Gestapo, should hang their heads in shame for using the same police tactics employed during occupation.Zo5nmjVXCehFW1TrSC15AP33JaTDntwk_Sl7m_ZflFY

And why is the Scottish press not all over the widely known fact that there are two badly beaten Celtic fans sitting in a foreign prison cell while countless friends, relatives and witnesses have all lodged complaints with the Dutch authorities?

Further, I have no doubt that there will be video footage used in defence of the Celtic fans when they next appear in court. Some of that video footage was originally shown on Dutch TV but was then apparently censored?

If there is video footage in existence which can show the truth of what happened in Dam square then why would the Dutch authorities not act in that by themselves?

The late Alastair Cook was once apparently given an order by his editor when he was a very young journalist. The order was “Go and get me the News! I don’t care if it is late- just make sure that it is right!”

It would appear that old fashioned editors with that attitude are out of fashion in Scotland. At least where Celtic fans are concerned.

Perhaps they are extinct?

PS – You did not read about the Celtic fan who was knocked down by the speeding Police van and had his leg broken in three places either. Seemingly the Scottish press don’t do accidents in Holland!

PPS The Celtic Trust and FAC are holding an open door event on Saturday where they will collect statements from witnesses who were in Dam square and who witnessed the events of Wednesday. They will be there between 11:00 am and 1PM

PPPS The Celtic Trust has are also seeking donations for a defence fund and the details can be found here:

http://www.celtictrust.net/index.php?func=d_home_article&id=449

PPPPS – Following complaints received by UEFA, the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body have confirmed that they have issued a fine of €25,000 against Ajax relating to the offensive banner displayed behind the goal by Ajax supporters.

– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/amsterdam-the-battle-for-the-truth/#sthash.DefUhRyJ.dpuf