Leading opponent of controversial football laws facing charges under the Act

[ian1964 10,724]

A high-profile campaigner opposed to the contentious Offensive Behaviour at Football laws is to appear in court over allegations he breached the act.

 

Paul Quigley, spokesman for the Fans Against Criminalisation (FAC) group, is accused of carrying a banner containing a profanity and criticising Police Scotland at a match at Celtic Park on February 20.

 

He will face charges at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday, on the eve of the first Old Firm league clash in several years.

 

Mr Quigley, a 25-year-old university masters student, was issued with a summary complaint and told last week to appear in court. He is expected to deny the charge.

 

The alleged offence occurred just weeks after Mr Quigley and Jeanette Findlay, a university lecturer and only other FAC member to make public their identity, criticised the Act at their first appearance at Holyrood committee of MSPs. They appeared again a week after the alleged breach.

 

The Offensive Behaviour at Football act was introduced in 2012 in an attempt to crack down on sectarianism and other football-related offences, but critics say there is already sufficient legislation in place to deal with such crimes.

 

A regular critic of the Act in the media, Mr Quigley was also one of the organisers of the recent Palestinian flags protest staged by controversial fan group the Green Brigade during the Champions League qualifier against Israeli side Hapoel Be'er Sheva.

 

It is alleged the offending banner was "likely or would be likely to incite public disorder".

 

Mr Quigley's lawyer, Paul Kavanagh, of Gildea's Solicitors, said: "Our client will deny any wrongdoing and we will fight for him as we do every client.

 

"While we will not comment in detail about any client or ongoing case the timing of this is surprising and noteworthy, coming on the back of my client's role in a high-profile campaign."

 

Police Scotland said Mr Quigley had been reported to prosecutors under different legislation but he is facing court action over breaching the football act according to a charge notice.

 

The charges come as Labour MSP James Kelly moves to spearhead an attempt to overturn the Act in Parliament, launching a consultation seeking views from experts, football clubs, and the public.

 

Mr Quigley has been involved in FAC discussions with opposition parties over repeal of the legislation.

 

Earlier this year in evidence submitted to Parliament's Public Petitions Committee, Mr Quigley said the legislation "clearly discriminates against one section of society" by singling out football fans.

 

Responding to Police Scotland's submission to the committee, Mr Quigley said: "Police Scotland cannot reasonably contend that they seek to uphold freedom of expression when they are have arrested someone for holding a banner which merely said ‘Axe The Act’. This simply serves as one example of the repression of political expression.

 

"We would like to re-iterate that the relationship between the police and football fans has been utterly corrupted by this legislation and feel that the only way to repair the damage done is to have this Act repealed."

 

A report published earlier this year revealed there were 79 convictions in 2014/15 under the legislation.

 

The Scottish Government's Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2014/15 report stated: "The (2012) Act criminalises behaviour which is threatening, hateful or otherwise offensive at a regulated football match including offensive singing or chanting.

 

"It also criminalises the communication of threats of serious violence and threats intended to incite religious hatred, whether sent through the post or posted on the internet."

 

An FAC spokesman said: "People will rightly ask if it is the best use of police time to be trawling through six-month-old CCTV evidence to find criticisms of themselves."

 

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "We can confirm that a 25-year-old man was reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with an alleged offence contrary to section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010."

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/14727284.Leading_opponent_of_controversial_football_laws_facing_charges_under_the_Act/

[StuGers 477]

Jeanette Findlays name pops up again. It really is mind boggling as to why Glasgow University employs such a toxic character.

[ian1964 10,724]

Jeanette Findlays name pops up again. It really is mind boggling as to why Glasgow University employs such a toxic character.

 

Her employers are of the same ilk?

[StuGers 477]

Her employers are of the same ilk?

 

Surely the people at the top can't be anything like her!? But at the same time, who would tolerate her pish? She's been at it for years!