Since the enactment of the
Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012, singing Roll of Honour at
Scottish football matches by some supporters of
Celtic F.C. has led to arrests and convictions for singing "a song in support of a proscribed terrorist organisation". However some prosecutions have resulted in acquittals with one
sheriff stating "If they can proscribe a list of songs which people are banned from singing, they will find the courts are full and the football grounds are empty." The
Green Brigade group of Celtic fans believe that the 2012 Act is "a ridiculous piece of legislation" which has resulted in "expressions of Irish identity, culture and politics being deemed illegal" and highlighted the hypocrisy of the legislation at the Celtic game on 23 November 2013: while ‘Roll of Honour’ was being sung, banners were displayed containing the lyric from the
Scottish national anthem: ‘they fought and died for; their wee bit hill and glen’. In December 2013, seven members of the Green Brigade appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge of having behaved in a way that "is likely or would be likely to incite public disorder" by singing the Roll of Honour at
Celtic Park, with trial set for June 2014. In October 2014 two men were convicted and fined following charges surrounding the singing of the pro-IRA song at a match between Hibs and Celtic at Easter Road on 19 October 2013. ==See also==