By Democrat reporter
The Daily Mirror is reporting that police arrested 19 Celtic fans in Birmingham as trouble flared at the club’s Champions League clash with Aston Villa.
The arrests varied from violent disorder, assaults, possession of Class A drugs, throwing pyrotechnics onto the pitch and having fraudulent tickets.
Footage shows Celtic fans arriving at a train station near Villa Park, where rival were waiting to meet them with Union Jack banners and red flares. Towards the end of the video, green fireworks can be seen heading in the direction of Villa fans.
As the clip ends police officers can be seen charging in to split up the two warring factions.
West Midlands Police brought in road closures around Villa Park amid an “elevated risk” with letters sent to local residents around the stadium ahead of the game.
Let’s be clear, the English Villa fans were out to get the Irish.
The English, or at least many of them hate the Irish. The IRA Birmingham bombing all those years ago still stirs hatred and Celtic, well they are fair game aren’t they.
There’s been some grim pictures of Celtic fans getting a right good kicking. That’s the way it is. Wasn’t unexpected and there should have been security precautions. Moreso when there were prior banners about the Irish, the IRA and bombing in the run up to the game.
Appealing stuff, but racism runs deep.