Solidarity for CELTIC at St. Pauli: NO CRIMINALS

RebelsChoice · Dec 20, 2011

Yesterday at the home game of St. Pauli vs Eintracht Frankfurt supporters of St. Pauli show their solidarity with Celtic: A big banner was hanging at the main stand: Celtic & St. Pauli: No criminals. In the match programm http://www.fcstpauli.com/pics/download/1_1324286267/Viva_Eintracht_Frankfurt.pdf
was on page 8 a report about the discrimination of Celtic supperters from the government (new law).

WE STAY TOGETHER!

fms06 · Dec 20, 2011

Hail Hail St.Pauli

Seán_67 · Dec 20, 2011

They also sent a letter to the GB:

St.Pauli CSC: Letter Of Support To FAC & Green Brigade

St.Pauli CSC is a Celtic supporters club from St.Pauli, a district of the city of Hamburg, Germany. It is open to all local Celtic fans that believe in and support anti-racism, anti-facism, and anti-sexism. Currently, all members support the local club FC St. Pauli in Bundesliga 2.

For more than 20 years, supporters from St. Pauli travel to Celtic matches all over Europe and Scotland, from Donezk to Dublin and Glasgow to Inverness. Never did any of us witness any kind of racism or sectarianism of the Celtic supporters. Religion is hardly ever a topic and never an issue, the inclusiveness of the Celtic support regarding faith or ethnicity cannot be overstated.

The coercion and criminalization Celtic supporters face for singing songs commemorating an important part of their and the club's heritage, exercising the right of free speech and showing normal human behaviour such as standing up during a match, is a shame for any constitutional democracy. We understand that the current legislation which already allows for a wide range of oppressive measures executed by state authorities and private institutions such as Celtic FC, will be further extended to make supposedly "offensive" behaviour punishable. This legislation will give the police an almost limitless scope of interpretation when trying to justify arrests or other measures. It has to be doubted that it is really just about certain songs, standing, or truly "offensive" chanting, but more about control. The vague nature of the current and especially the proposed legislation is intended to make people feel intimidated and not just abandon behaviour that could be defined as wrong in any way, but even exercising a self-control that goes beyond what could be put into a regulation openly. This treatment of one specific social group – football supporters all over Scotland – would rather fit to a dictatorship.

Football supporters in Scotland are not alone in this – both state and footballing authorities in many countries are trying to put pressure on the fans to take total control, to sanitise and polish a sport and its culture for total marketing and maximum profitability. A culture that grew from a mostly working class background to a culture that has a place for everyone from ultrà to big business, from punk to tradesman, shall become an entertainment industry. By many in Scotland or the UK in general, the German Bundesliga is seen as a paradise for football supporters, but we are faced with similar threats and in a struggle to keep what we have and to win back what we have lost already. What has happened to football culture in Great Britain – the home of modern football – in the past and the unbelievable current developments in Scotland that put football supporters even further beyond the sphere of some basic human rights, is a warning to us all.

We offer solidarity and support to Fans Against Criminalisation and all organisations behind that, especially our comrades of the Green Brigade. To give more than just words, we donated to the FAC Legal Defence Fund and hope that many more will do so. We have a similar fund for supporters of FC St. Pauli for years; it is all important to help people that are challenged by state authorities or powerful organisations such as football clubs to defend themselves with the help of competent experts. A lot of the intimidation is created by threats that will prove to be a mere chimaera if fought properly and with the necessary resources. Solidarity is a weapon!

St. Pauli CSC, November 24, 2011
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Jamesy Bhoy 7 · Dec 20, 2011

Great club with great fans, forza St Pauli !!

Artur Boruc #1 · Dec 20, 2011

It's extremely sad that a group of fans from Germany can see something which some of our fans can't even see, or are blind too.

Seán_67 · Dec 20, 2011

A lot of the intimidation is created by threats that will prove to be a mere chimaera if fought properly and with the necessary resources. Solidarity is a weapon!
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Think that bits quite apt tbh

joemc · Dec 20, 2011

Artur Boruc #1 said: ↑

It's extremely sad that a group of fans from Germany can see something which some of our fans can't even see, or are blind too.
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Its not that our support cant see it ab1 its more that they dont want to see our club and fans made to loo k like the huns , until someone challenges a court rulling against our songs we have to be carefull, probably 80% of our fans have no problem with the songs of of a free united ireland and the fight for freedom.

liam_barnett · Dec 20, 2011

Already another thread in TalkCeltic Pub