Long Arm of the Law
Now here's a disturbing, if ultimately heartening report from the BBC, about the arrest of 14 football 'fans' who tried to prevent one of their number being ejected from a Livingston v Rangers football match, for being drunk and behaving in a disorderly fashion.
Now anyone who has ever been to a football game can picture such the scene - an tightly knit, organised gang, possibly from the same extended family, behaving in an inappropriate and anti-social way, and generally making life miserable for people around them.
Now I would name and shame these people who are presumably all Rangers 'fans' given that they were all arrested in Glasgow.
Because the adults involved are simply encouraging the teenagers to behave in exactly the same way a few years down the line, and the best thing that could happen to them and decent fans everywhere is to be issued with a football banning order.
And whatever happens in court Rangers FC should disassociate themselves from such people because they can only bring shame and damage to the club.
Fourteen fans arrested over trouble at Livingston v Rangers match
Trouble flared as stewards tried to eject a drunk man from the South Stand
Fourteen men have been arrested in connection with disorder at a Livingston v Rangers football match last month.
The incident happened during the game at the Energy Assets Arena in Livingston on Saturday 4 October.
Stewards tried to eject a drunk man from the South Stand, but other spectators attempted to prevent him being removed.
The police's violence reduction unit later arrested 14 males from Glasgow.
Among them was two 14-year-olds, three 15-year-olds, three 16-year-olds, three 17-year-olds, an 18-year-old, a 19-year-old and a 49-year-old.
All of these individuals will now be reported to the procurator fiscal and are being considered for Football Banning Orders.
Insp Myles Marshall, of Police Scotland, said: "There is absolutely no place for disorder or any other criminal offences at football matches or any other sporting event.
"Whenever these incidents occur we will work closely with partner agencies and other departments of Police Scotland to bring those responsible to justice.
"Make no mistake, even if we do not apprehend offenders during a match, we will progress enquiries after full-time to identify those responsible for criminal activity and ensure they cannot commit further disorder at future matches."
