FANS gathering at a Celtic pub in Ireland to celebrate the club’s 55th league title have condemned a “disgraceful” attack by far-right activists over the weekend.
Far-right agitators targeted a gathering of Celtic supporters at a Dublin pub on Saturday where fans were celebrating the Hoops’ win against Dundee United that secured the Premiership title.
An anti-immigration demonstration had been scheduled to conclude near to the James Connelly pub in Custom House Quay and, according to the 1803 Celtic Supporters Club, around 35 to 50 people from the event then entered the building.
Those in attendance at the social gathering asked the supporters of the demonstration to leave, but the club said demonstrators launched a “physical attack on supporters” and fired “horrendous racial abuse” at non-Irish members of staff and management.
The agitators were eventually removed from the property by Celtic supporters while management and staff secured the entrance, closing the venue to the public until it was safe to re-open.
The Spirit of 1803 Celtic Supporters Club has said in a statement it condemns the display of “bigotry and hatred”.
The statement read: “Celtic FC is a renowned football club, established in 1887 based on the principles of support for impoverished immigrants and refuge seekers. Celtic FC is also a community of international solidarity, there is an estimated international support base of over nine million supporters (2003) across over 160 Celtic Supporters Clubs established in over 20 countries worldwide.
“There is no place for racism, fascism, anti-immigrant support or even sentiment, regardless of the socio-economic or political climate in the ethos of the spirit of being a true Celtic FC supporter.
“We abhor the attack in Dublin on our club’s supporters as much as we abhor the message that the Dublin demonstration heralded, and we appeal to those suffering under trying economic circumstances not to be duped by opportunistic political agitators with a far-right narrative.
“They do not have the solution to your problems, or the will to strategise one if all they have to offer is placing blame upon the world’s weakest people, refuge seekers.”
The demonstration had been earlier chanting “Get Them Out” in reference to forced mass deportation and anti-Palestinian solidarity slogans with Israeli flags openly on display.
James Connolly, the Irish socialist, republican and leader of the 1916 Easter Rising was himself an economic immigrant from Scotland.
