Alcohol should still be reintroduced at Scottish football matches despite the recent pitch invasion trouble at the Old Firm match, according to Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay. He insists police should retain a veto power for high-risk fixtures to maintain order.
Rejecting Claims That Trouble Ends Alcohol Debate
Russell Findlay has firmly rejected suggestions that the mass pitch invasion following the penalty shoot-out at Ibrox Stadium on Sunday should kill off calls for alcohol to be served again at Scottish stadiums. The incident occurred after Rangers fans confronted Celtic supporters during the Scottish Cup quarter-final tie.
Aligning With Rugby and English Football
Findlay has been actively pushing for regulatory changes to bring Scottish football into line with rugby matches and football games south of the border. His proposal would allow spectators to consume alcohol within stadiums before matches commence, a practice currently restricted in Scottish football grounds.
Following Sunday's match, Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton, who previously served as chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, questioned on social media whether people were still seriously advocating alcohol sales at football matches after what he called 'embarrassing scenes.'
Protecting Responsible Football Fans
But Mr Findlay countered this perspective, stating: 'I don't think you can penalise the majority of responsible football fans with the actions of a few serial trouble-makers.'
He drew a contrast between different fan behaviors: 'If you juxtapose the way in which Scotland celebrated qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in decades and the ugly scenes on Sunday, what we saw after the Denmark game is what Scottish football fans are really about – they are more interested in the sport not causing trouble or fighting with other fans.'
Calling for Robust Policing Response
The Scottish Conservative leader emphasized there must be a 'robust' policing response to incidents like those at the Old Firm game. He argued that those who misbehaved should face prosecution and receive bans from football grounds as appropriate consequences for their actions.
Findlay elaborated on his proposed approach: 'What we've said is the vast majority of good and decent football fans should be free to enjoy a drink at the football but the police would always have a veto, much like they do with licensing laws.'
Police Veto System Proposed
Under Findlay's proposal, police commanders overseeing specific matches would retain authority to prevent alcohol sales if they determined a particular fixture presented too great a risk. 'If police in charge of a particular match regarded it to be too much of a problem they would be able to have the power to prevent that,' he explained.
This system would mirror existing licensing arrangements where police can object to alcohol sales in various venues based on public safety concerns. The approach aims to balance fan enjoyment with necessary security measures at potentially volatile sporting events.
