LABOUR, Tory, Green and LibDem MSPs on Holyrood’s Justice Committee have backed calls to repeal the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act.
The committee’s decision follows a three-month inquiry into an attempt by Labour MSP James Kelly to have the Act taken off the statute books.
The five SNP members of the committee voted against scrapping the laws.
Introduced in 2012, the legislation created two new criminal offences, specifically targeting offensive, threatening and sectarian behaviour at, or in connection with football matches.
Margaret Mitchell, the Tory convener of the committee, said the majority of her colleagues found the original Act flawed and unnecessary, as other existing laws already covered the crimes it was targetting: “Whether the Act is finally repealed or not, the message that came through from the vast majority of witnesses was that this legislation needs to be changed.”
Kelly was pleased to have the backing of the committee: “I’m pleased the committee voted in favour of my repeal Bill after taking time to hear from experts in the fields of law, equalities and fans.
“The reason for the committee backing repeal is the weight of evidence against the football Act.”
Responding to the Justice Committee’s decision, Minister for Community Safety Annabelle Ewing said there was clear public support for the laws and that she had “manifest concerns” that scrapping the Act would “send entirely the wrong message, leaving vulnerable communities feeling exposed to abuse and prejudice and putting Scotland behind the rest of the UK in terms of protection from incitement to religious hatred”.
Ewing added: “Singing songs about terrorism, mocking incidents involving loss of life and being hateful towards some of our most vulnerable communities with no regard for the impact of their wilful behaviours is not acceptable”.
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