Race-hate Celtic fan in Court

THE race-hate Celtic fan who made monkey gestures at El Hadji Diouf bawled foul-mouthed abuse at photographers outside court this week.

Shamed Sean Smith, 19, snarled "'shove that camera up your a***" at one snapper as he left Glasgow Sheriff Court after admitting racially abusing Rangers star Diouf.

Smith handed himself in to cops after the News of the World published a shocking picture of him taunting the Senegalese striker at an Old Firm match.

After being shown our photo on Thursday, Sheriff Celia Sanderson said: "This is far more eloquent than anything the Crown can say."

Smith, from Rutherglen, near Glasgow, will be sentenced next month, but he has already been banned from watching any UK club play at home or abroad and he must sign in at a local police station during the first half of every Celtic game.

The court was told how Smith sprinted from his seat to mock Diouf just five minutes into the February 20 match. Prosecutor Claire Connaghan said: "As he approached the stand to take the corner kick, the accused approached the front of the stand where he commenced making ape-like physical gestures.

"Witnesses were offended by what they saw as a racial gesture and the matter was reported."

After the creep's bawling match outside court, an onlooker said: "He doesn't appear to have learned his lesson. He clearly needs to do some growing up."

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/notw/nol_scottish/nol_scottish_news/1273656/Racist-yob-Sean-Smith.html

Celtic fans in stand-off with police

A GROUP of Celtic fans was involved in a tense stand-off with police at yesterday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Strathclyde Police officers went into the crowd to arrest supporters responsible for setting off a green flare.

However, they were unable to remove the individuals because fellow fans - believed to be members of the Parkhead club's "Green Brigade
" group of hardcore support - physically held on to them.

Police said four men were later arrested in connection with setting off what they describe as "a smoke bomb".

The arrests came as figures emerged showing police dealt with more than 2,400 crimes linked to the Old Firm in the past two years alone.

Strathclyde Police and British Transport Police said they dealt with 264 serious assaults, 18 attempted murders and 44 attacks on emergency workers linked to Rangers and Celtic.

Last night, a spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police confirmed the latest arrests.

She said: "Officers went into the crowd to lawfully arrest a number of people."

She acknowledged the police's initial attempt to apprehend the fans had been unsuccessful, but said the alleged perpetrators were later detained.

She added: "Four people were arrested in connection with someone setting off a smoke bomb inside the ground. This is contrary to the stadium regulations."

All the arrests involved Celtic fans, though a red flare was also set off in the Aberdeen end of the ground.

More than 100 Green Brigade members walked out of Hampden in protest at the arrests, missing the final goal by Shaun Maloney in their side's 4-0 victory.

Trying to enter a ground in Scotland armed with a flare is contrary to the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995.

One fan who made an early departure said: "The cops tried to remove one of the young boys, but the Green Brigade were having none of it.

"He was asking the cop why he was being led out, but the officer wouldn't tell him. So he just said, 'Well, I'm not going then'."

Members of the Green Brigade made headlines last year when they unfurled an anti-poppy banner around the time of Remembrance Sunday.

Some Celtic fans say the group has brought shame on the club, while others insist it has improved the atmosphere on match days.

Next weekend's Easter Sunday match between Celtic and Rangers will see 35 Strathclyde Police officers mingle with the crowdto target sectarianism. The plan was drawn up after the 2 March game, which resulted in three red cards, touchline and tunnel confrontations and 34 arrests.

Strathclyde Assistant Chief Constable Campbell Corrigan said: "We believe alcohol is the problem. Football is just the excuse.

The vast majority of football fans out there enjoy these high-profile matches, without being affected by any violence.

"Unfortunately, there is a minority of people who use the matches as a cover to cause disorder and disruption.

"As a result, they get drunk, become full of aggression and, inevitably, they cause antisocial behaviour or seriously assault somebody."

In February, after the widely condemned behaviour at an Old Firm clash, Scottish Police Federation chairman Les Gray called for an outright ban on any Celtic versus Rangers games.


http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/glas...?articlepage=2

Celtic stars' pub clientele in racist shame

Mr. Stokes certainly has a constituency to keep happy. I went back to the Players Lounge the following Sunday to see the Celtic supporters in action and it was standing room only as the crowd watched their team play arch-rivals Rangers on the 70-inch screens. Before and after the game the Celtic jersey-clad fans were kept happy with rebel ballads by the Players Brigade. During extra time Rangers brought on Senegalese player El Hadji Diouf and he faced an audible chant of "ooohhh, ooohhh, ooohhh" monkey noises from a certain element in the pub.

Read full article here

Police and Celtic fans in stand-off

CELTIC fans were involved in a tense stand-off with cops yesterday after a flare was set off during their Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.

Officers quickly moved in to the crowd to nab the yobs responsible.

But members of the controversial Green Brigade supporters' group stopped them by shielding the suspects.

One fan said: "The cops tried to remove one of the young boys but the Green Brigade were having none of it.

"He was asking the cop why he was being led out but the officer wouldn't tell him. So he just said 'Well, I'm not going then'."

Over 100 Green Brigade fans walked out in protest.

Cops later nicked four men in connection with setting off a "smoke bomb" during Celtic's 4-0 win over Aberdeen.

But they denied the arrests were a dress rehearsal for a 'snatch squad' who will clamp down on sectarian singing at the Easter Sunday Old Firm derby.

A spokeswoman said: "There were no snatch squads. Officers went into the crowd to arrest a number of people."

The Green Brigade have divided opinion among Hoops fans.

Last year they caused fury with an anti-poppy banner.

18/4/2011

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3532254/Celtic-fans-and-cops-in-tense-stand-off-during-Scottish-Cup-semi-final-at-Hampden.html#ixzz1JrSJL4Zk

Real IRA mingle with crowds at Celtic for recruitment drive

Click on image for full view of article printed in the Daily Express, Monday 12th April 2011

Father of Celtic player arrested over firearms find

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/242469-father-of-celtic-player-arrested-on-firearms-charges/

The father of Celtic player Anthony Stokes is understood to be one of three people who have been arrested in the Republic of Ireland on suspicion of possessing firearms.

Two men, aged 54 and 46, and a 55-year-old woman are being held after ammunition was taken from the back of John Stokes' pub, the Players Lounge, in the city's Fairview district. The trio are being detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. They are being questioned at Store Street, Bridewell and Whitehall Garda stations.

Garda officers raided the pub at around 10am on Friday as part of an operation targeting dissident republican and organised criminal activity in the Irish capital. A handful of bullets found in a shed at the back of the pub have been taken away for ballistic tests. It understood Mr Stokes, 54, was arrested at the scene.

Cocaine with a street value of about 500 euro was also recovered during searches this morning.

A number of private houses were also searched in the Donaghmede area in a crackdown involving more than 100 officers, including the force's special detective unit. It is understood the raids are linked to an investigation into a long-running turf war between the so-called Real IRA and drugs gangs.

The bitter rivals are battling for supremacy in a protection racket targeting pubs and clubs. Last month, a judge ordered Mr Stokes to remove a 40ft anti-Queen banner ahead of the monarch’s visit to Ireland.

Old Firm cup final

He also made the headlines when he discussed the omission of his son in Celtic’s Cooperative Insurance Cup final defeat to arch rivals Rangers.

He told the Scottish Sun: "It is crazy Anthony didn't play when he is Celtic's top scorer. Neil Lennon needs to understand that. He isn't going to be at Celtic if he isn't going to play against Rangers or in the big games. My advice to him is to move from Celtic and put in an immediate transfer request. I think he will because he has told me he wants out."

Mr Stokes later denied the reports to Irish radio station 98FM. He stated: "Basically, it’s misquoted by the papers. I didn’t say that.

"I was asked by a journalist in the heat of the moment after they lost. I’m a big Celtic fan as everybody knows and Anthony is a big Celtic fan. I was asked my view at the end of the game by a particular Scottish journalist. I was completely misquoted and I never said he should leave Celtic so I don’t know where that story’s from.