AWARENESS CAMPAIGN - PHASE TWO
Following the launch of the 
Football Banning Orders campaign at Hampden Stadium on Tuesday 29th July 2006 by the Minister for Justice, the second phase of the Straight Red campaign is taking place in early 2007.
- The second phase of the Straight Red Campaign will run between 20 February - 11 March 2007. Look out for posters on public transport, radio adverts, inserts in match programmes and much more.
- The Minister for Justice has written the following message to football fans to mark the launch of the second phase of the Straight Red Campaign.
MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE:
TACKLING VIOLENCE AND SECTARIANISM AT FOOTBALL MATCHES IN SCOTLAND
Football can bring with it very mixed emotions. I should know, this season my local team have gone from the depths of a 5-0 defeat to the heights of qualifying for the CIS Cup Final. The trauma and excitement that goes with each game affects my whole family and seeing our national team do well is something we all enjoy celebrating. I follow my local club as well as the national team and, like every other football fan, I spend the season hoping to experience more highs than lows.
However, for many of us the highs of on-pitch success are often spoiled by the lows of off-pitch behaviour. Those of us who truly love football can't help being passionate about the game and taking pride in the achievements of our teams. Scottish football without this passion would be unrecognisable. In fact this passion has helped to give Scottish fans their excellent global reputation. But there's a world of difference between the passion of supporting our club and the abusive bigotry that is all too often passed off as "banter". Enough is enough - it's now time for those of us who love football to unite against those who exploit the game as an excuse for peddling vicious hatred.
That is why I introduced Football Banning Orders in Scotland last September. Now the police and courts have the power to ban anyone causing trouble, being abusive, violent or bigoted from going to matches in Scotland, the rest of UK, and overseas for up to 10 years. In addition, these individuals can also be banned from other areas such as town centres, railway stations and bars on match days. The message is clear - abusive behaviour has no place in Scottish football. More than 100 banning orders are currently being pursued through the courts and thugs and hooligans should be in no doubt that we mean business.
In addition the SFA, sportscotland and Scottish Executive launched 'Calling Fulltime on Sectarianism' in December 2006. This strategy outlines some of the key actions that our organisations, the police and others will be delivering together to tackle sectarianism both on and off the pitch. By improving stewarding; developing consistent standards of behaviour and dealing robustly with unacceptable behaviour we can make the game safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
However, action to tackle sectarianism does not have to be confined to the police and governing bodies. As fans we can all play our part in erradicating abusive behaviour from our national game. We need to examine our own actions and views. We need to challenge the attitudes and behaviour of others. We need to exert peer pressure on those who let their bigotry bring our clubs into disrepute. Together we can ensure that the unacceptable behaviour of the minority isn't allowed to spoil the enjoyment of the football loving majority.
Scottish football fans deserve to be the envy of the world. By showing that we can solve our problems by ourselves we will justly earn the respect of the global football community.
CATHY JAMIESON
Minister for Justice
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN - PHASE ONE
During the first stage of the awareness campaign at the opening of the 2006 football season the Minister wrote the following message to football fans, explaining why Football Banning Orders are so important:
MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE:
TACKLING VIOLENCE AND SECTARIANISM AT FOOTBALL MATCHES IN SCOTLAND
I love football and can't remember a time when the new season wasn't eagerly anticipated in my household. Like millions of other football fans across Scotland my family keenly debates fixtures, transfers, injuries and the many other issues that concern and entertain us all. As passionate football fans we all want to see our clubs do well at home and abroad, and the national team qualifying for Euro 2008 would give us great cause for celebration.
But it's not just clubs and players that get discussed in my home as we also talk about the fans and the way their behaviour can make or break a club's reputation. Scottish fans have an excellent global reputation, but football hooliganism and sectarian bigotry continue to tarnish the hard earned and well deserved image Scotland has for friendliness. Year after year we have seen fans who should be united by their love of sport becoming bitter enemies, abusing their club's history and traditions as they attempt to excuse their own bile and bigotry and damaging the the good name their clubs have spent years building. I've heard this excused people being only "90 minute bigots" and abusive behaviour dismissed as "harmless banter". But bigotry is bigotry. It can't just be turned on and off, and abuse is certainly not harmless to those on the receiving end. There is no excuse for this type of behaviour and it will not be tolerated any more.
I've no intention of dampening the passion we all feel for our clubs. Far from it, as I want fans to enjoy the matches and take pride in their team's achievements. But I know that genuine football fans have had enough of their game being hijacked by bullies and thugs who only want to indulge in abusive tribal behaviour. It's time to weed out the yobs whose harassing and intimidating behaviour has gone on for long enough. That is why I will be introducing Football Banning Orders in Scotland.
From 1st September 2006 anyone causing trouble, being abusive, violent or bigoted can be banned from going to matches in Scotland, the rest of UK, and overseas for up to 10 years. These individuals can also be banned from other areas such as town centres, railway stations and bars on match days. The message is clear. Abusive behaviour has no place in Scottish football. Hooligans can deny their prejudice as much as they want, but there's nothing casual about going from 90 minutes of bigotry to a 10 year ban.
We can all play a part in tackling abusive behaviour. We can all examine our own behaviour and challenge the attitudes and behaviour of others, and we can all exert peer pressure on those who bring our clubs into disrepute. Together we can ensure that the vile behaviour of the minority doesn't spoil the season for the rest of us. I wish you and your club all the best for the new season and know that you can be counted on to do your bit for the reputation of our national game and our country.
CATHY JAMIESON
Minister for Justice