Conservative MSP said he ‘fears’ Celtic and Rangers fans could submit fake hate allegations against each other
By Bill Heaney
Police could be inundated with hate crime complaints against fans throwing insults at each other at Sunday’s big match, a Conservative MSP has warned.
Murdo Fraser, a leading member of the Orange Lodge of Scotland, told STV News he “suspects” and “fears” that Celtic and Rangers fans could submit complaints against each other amid confusion around the law.
It comes after Ally McCoist, a former Rangers player and manager, “guaranteed” thousands of Rangers fans would breach the legislation at Ibrox this weekend.
Asked about the pundit’s comments on Friday, Fraser, pictured right wearing his Orange sash, said it shows that people are not sure about what the law means.
He said: “What this points to is the level of uncertainty there is about the reach of this law and the concerns that were expressed in the run-up to the law being enacted by the police, and… that the police would find themselves deluged by lots of spurious and vexatious complaints.
“I think there’s a real concern we are going to see that on the back of the Old Firm match this weekend just as we’ve seen it at the start of this week.”
Meanwhile, former Celtic player Chris Sutton has said his fellow pundit Ally McCoist’s comments about “breaching the hate crime law” at the upcoming Old Firm were “reckless and irresponsible”.
The former Rangers player and manager questioned the new legislation – which came into force on Monday – and “guaranteed” that he and thousands of others would be “committing a breach” during Sunday’s crucial Old Firm showdown at Ibrox.
However, the following day the TalkSPORT host said there had been a “change of plans” – and revealed he won’t be in attendance at Ibrox on Sunday.
Sutton addressed the comments made by his former BT Sport colleague, claiming they were “slightly odd”.
Speaking on the It’s All Kicking Off Podcast: “He left himself wide open, you know, saying that he along with 48,000 will be committing a breach of the bill in that fixture.
“Look, I know Ally well, I’ve worked with Ally a lot. I suspect that his comments may have well been tongue in cheek.
“But if they weren’t, then you’ve got to say they were pretty reckless, irresponsible comments. Daft, I think his choice of words were clumsy. I know he’s not going to the game.
“He’s come out now and said that he’s not going to the game which may have not sort of got him out of it, but his way of getting out of the words which he used. He will have to address this one, I thought his comments were slightly odd in truth.”