Do the police need to 'smash' the Green Brigade?

It’s almost a throw-away line but startling in many ways. According to an un-named piece in today’s Scotland On Sunday: “Privately, the police have admitted that it is their intention to “smash” the Irish Republican, Marxist Green Brigade. They are willing to go to extreme lengths, in terms of their use of survelliance and a wide range of extraneous powers, to do so.”

Whether this is wishful thinking on the part of the author or the feelings of Strathclyde Police the motives are pretty disturbing. Given recent developments it can only be a matter of time before the group of fans that brought ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ and ‘In the Heat of Lisbon’ to Celtic Park are blamed for the eurozone crisis and the lack of salt and grit for the upcoming and unexpected cold snap.

Sure the Green Brigade have overstepped the mark at times but there is more than enough current legislation to nip that sort of chanting in the bud. Why the police wish to ‘go to extreme lengths to smash’ the Green Brigade should be a matter of concern to all Celtic supporters.

In a city riddled with crime and drug problems it would be presumed that the overstretched police resources could be better used combatting those real issues rather than attempting to smash a small group of football supporters who make their presence very public.

If the police have issues with the Green Brigade there is a very easy way for them to deal with it. At every Celtic home match they’ll be found in and around section 111 where their chants and songs generally lived the ground up.

The article on Scotland on Sunday comes ahead of a UEFA disciplinary meeting over alleged illicit chants during the Celtic v Rennes Europa League match. This matter was brought to the attention of UEFA by Strathclyde Police.

As the SNP under the leadership of Alex Salmond attempt to force through ill thought out and un-necessary legislation on the back of three Rangers players being sent off against Celtic in February is seems that the Green Brigade are the convenient fall guys for most of societies ills.

If the Green Brigade were the only problem needing smashed by Strathclyde Police the ‘dear green place’ would be a much more pleasant and accomodating place to live, work and visit.

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