Offensive Behaviour at Football

FOLLOWS a raft of commitments made this year at the football summit’s joint action group, involving the government, Scottish Football Association and the Old Firm clubs.

The intention is to create new offences to “tackle offensive behaviour at football games and communications which threaten or incite serious harm to others”.

The legislation will cover offensive or threatening behaviour liable to incite public disorder at or on the way from or to a football match, and will extend to public places such as pubs where football matches are shown on television.

It will target expressions of hatred of a person or group of persons because of their religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability. There will be a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment plus an unlimited fine when tried on indictment.

The Scottish Government wants this bill passed by the end of the year.