Death of Queen Elizabeth II
Celtic supporters’ attitude caused embarrassment on the pitch and on live television. The fans in the other half of Glasgow used the moment of concentration to do something else. Behind her gesture is a very strong political and identity-forming dissent.
Footballers applaud during the commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II, but Celtic fans interpret the gesture in a different and irreverent way.
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Death of Queen Elizabeth II
The banner and then an applause that was just a scar. The last thing Celtic fans said to Queen Elizabeth II. The Scottish FA had given each club the choice of whether or not to pay homage to the royal family with a minute’s silence on Her Majesty’s death. But for the Separatist, Catholic and pro-Irish soul of supporters in the other half of Glasgow, the minute’s silence was used to do something else. While sincere condolences were offered in most UK games, including the national anthem before kick-off, something else happened in the game against St Mirren. But this is not new in these parts.
You don’t have to go far in time to get an idea of how the white-green supporters and society itself have weathered the mourning period so far. The club never ceased its activities or started any special initiatives to commemorate the sovereign.
The Celtic supporters banner against the English Real Family.
Completely opposite attitude to the other team in town, the Rangers, whose people at Ibrox Park (as they did in the Champions League game against Napoli) reaffirmed their pro-monarchy position. The chorus, which replaced the cup anthem for one evening, was rousing, although Uefa dropped the official one and only asked for silence.
Who will attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral: the participating countries and those excluded
“If you hate the royal family too, clap your hands.” The banner, appearing in the hottest sector of supporters, turned this handclapping into a polemical tone and, not happy, shouted slogans against the Queen herself and the royals.
An embarrassing situation in which the broadcasters’ commentators on live TV distance themselves from this attitude, which has been defined as disrespectful. Sky Sports England narrator chosen for the game, Ian Crocker, expressed his regret to viewers: “We apologize if you may have been offended by what we heard. Most people have shown respect, others have not.”
An embarrassing and paradoxical situation for the team, which instead expressed emotional sympathy with applause before the game started. There was no national anthem, after these “standing ovations on the contrary” there was the kick-off.
The Celtic fan banner that appeared during the Champions League game against Shakhtar.
The supporters’ attitude threatens sanctions against Celtic as the Scottish club are in the UEFA spotlight for the anti-monarchy banner hoisted before and during Wednesday night’s game against Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw.