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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Aidan Macdonald

Simon Jordan calls on Celtic to 'shut down' Green Brigade or 'shut up'

Simon Jordan insists Celtic must "shut down" the Green Brigade section or "shut up".

The Parkhead ultras were told by the club not to display support for Palestine in their Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid but the group, along with many other fans, defied these wishes.

Celtic have banned the Green Brigade from upcoming away fixtures and the pundit reckons Hoops chiefs should go one step further and remove the group from home matches if they stand by their original stance.

Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: "Football and sport opened this door. It decided which causes it thought were valuable, it decided which causes it thought people should be supportive of.

"Of course, for very legitimate reasons football wants to abstain from this one - and I understand why.

"Because there are very strong views and feelings on both sides, and it is a very complicated and dangerous subject to get involved with.

"UEFA are just as bad. They start the process of what people are meant to do. But we have done this now.

"It is a very vocal and vociferous fan base, the Green Brigade are an interesting gang and have their views - so they are going to double down on it.

"But they don't have a right or an entitlement to do it at a football game. Yes, if they want to hang Palestine flags from their windows they can do it all day from their own space - they don't have a God given right to do it inside a football stadium."

"What can they do? Well, ok, if they mean it here it is then. Shut it down. Football wants to get involved with things and wants to make statements.

"If Celtic mean it - that they don't want the fans waving their [Palestine] flags - then shut that section of the stadium down. But they won't do that.

"You asked what they are going to do about it, well they aren't going to be able to stop it - so shut up. That is the end of the discussion."

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