Ally McCoist ‘guarantees’ he’ll break controversial law at old firm derby

Legendary Rangers player Ally McCoist promised that during Sunday’s Old Firm derby, he and 48,000 other supporters will be breaking Scotland’s recently passed hate crime legislation. The intense rivalry between Rangers and Celtic is rooted in the nation’s religious traditions, with Rangers practicing Protestantism and Celtic practicing Catholicism.

Additionally, a new regulation that went into effect in Scotland on Monday is expected to be broken by chants disparaging the opposition’s religious convictions. According to the Hate felony and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, “stirring up hatred” against people based on their age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or intersex status is a new felony.

The measure, which was initially authorized in 2021 but is only now going into force, establishes a new offense for which the maximum sentence is seven years in prison. It states that if someone intentionally sows hatred toward someone based on protected traits by disseminating information or acting in a way “that a reasonable person would consider to be threatening or abusive,” they may be held guilty.

Rangers decided to forbid traveling supporters owing to security concerns, thus there won’t be any Celtic supporters at Ibrox. However, the match has historically featured songs that are known to be divisive, inflammatory banners, and even effigies that have been hanging.

Additionally, McCoist anticipates that he and many other people inside Ibrox will be breaking the new legislation because he has criticized the police for their incapacity to enforce it at a major event like the derby and pointed out the “madness” of it.
By the way, the nation has enacted a hate bill, which we have,” McCoist said on talkSPORT. “And I promise you that when we all go to the Rangers vs. Celtics game at Ibrox on Sunday, myself and 48,000 other fans will be breaking that hate bill.” It’s insane.

The cops view it precisely that way. That’s what the police spokesperson has essentially stated in public. It is evident that he cannot as he will go into problems. He’s hinted at the fact that everyone with two brain cells in their head understands that it’s completely insane. I have spoken to no one in our country who believes it is a good idea.

Despite objections from people like McCoist, Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf stated that the “rising tide of hatred” needed to be stopped. Critics of the bill, like JK Rowling, have said that it restricts the freedom to free expression.

Yousaf declared, “I’m very proud of the Hate Crime Act.” “We have seen, I’m afraid, a kind of rising tide of hatred against people because of their protected characteristics, not just in the UK of course, but right across many parts of the world.”

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