The victim wasn't wearing a Celtic shirt.Originally Posted by pól-dcfc
Picture available upon request.
Two arrests yesterday in connection with this incident - best to wait and see now who was responsible.
The Englishmen came over in the year 2005
But little did they know that we'd planned a wee surprise
Sir David scored the winner, and Windsor Park went wild
And this is what we sang...
You're not wrong. Apologies for the oversight. Mind you I don't think the crowd were in any doubt about why they were attacking the man. At the very least I hope we can all agree that the stabbing had a sectarian motive.
DCFC
The Sunday World reported at the weekend that the intended target of the gang was a leading North Belfast Provo, who was convicted in 1976 for a brutal, sectarian, double murder.
They named him - I'll not.
Sectarian? Was the attack because of the guy's perceived religious beliefs (I doubt many of the attackers were frequent church goers), or because of his perceived political beliefs/national identity?
Mute point, depending on one's defination of "sectarian".
The attack was barbaric.
Those involved deserve the full rigour of the law to be brought upon them - regardless of what football team they profess to "support", if any.
Given that reports place the gang at another Belfast city centre bar at 1.45PM, and that the IC Semi Final at The Oval didn't finish until 2.20PM, certain questions are raised.
One of them being, do Linfield fans all own a tardis, enabling them to time travel.
The Englishmen came over in the year 2005
But little did they know that we'd planned a wee surprise
Sir David scored the winner, and Windsor Park went wild
And this is what we sang...
It is indeed. Sectarianism in Ireland doesn't just mean Catholic on Protestant (or vice versa) attacks, it also means Nationalist/Loyalist hatred of each other. The fact that most Nationalists are Catholics and most Loyalists Protestant, has made 'sectarian' an easy (if lazy) way to describe things.
Even if the guy they were looking for was second in command to Adolf Hitler in WWII that doesn't excuse mob violence.
Questions certaintly are raised.
However, given that many other reports have the mob chanting slogans associated with Section F, wouldn't it be wise to acknowledge that Linfield fans could have been involved? Why ignore half of the evidence? Personally I think this is a good opportunity to further examine links between sport and sectarianism, and possibly to find ways in which to erradicate the growing hooligan/schooligan problems both North and South of the border.
DCFC
Agree with the rest of your post above.
On this point, I wholly accept that some folk who would profess to be Linfield fans may have been involved in this attack - I have an open mind on that.
Not fans enough to be at the IC Semi Final until the end tho, it would seem - unlike over 3,000 other Linfield fans who stayed until the end, and beyond, to applaud and cheer their heros (of both main traditions) off the park - some of us even so fit to applaud the gallant losers off the pitch too.
Organised football hooligan gangs are to be found throughout the world - Danny Dyer did a whole series on it, you'll re-call - if it wasn't sectarianism, it would be something else. Fighting is in these people's blood.
It's a sub culture - not easy to eradicate.
The Englishmen came over in the year 2005
But little did they know that we'd planned a wee surprise
Sir David scored the winner, and Windsor Park went wild
And this is what we sang...
Sure that makes it OK then, you'll not mind Billy Hutchinson getting the same treatment next time he's down in Derry as he too was convicted of brutal sectarian murders as well???
Is it possible they could have met up with fellow hoolies who were already preparing the attack after the match?
It's not Linfield FC's fault. However, more could still be done by the club (I'm aware of all the efforts currently being undertaken) to stamp out sectarianism. I'd say the same for Cliftonville and Shamrock Rovers as well to be honest. I dread the day Rovers and Linfield meet in the Setanta Cup.
DCFC
How does it make it "ok"?
The Englishmen came over in the year 2005
But little did they know that we'd planned a wee surprise
Sir David scored the winner, and Windsor Park went wild
And this is what we sang...
Quite possible - I just don't know.
There is absolutely nothing Linfield FC could have done to avoid this incident -even if Linfield fans are proven to have been involved.
Responsibility for public order in Belfast City Centre lies squarely with the PSNI.
On the prospect of Blues v Rovers, I believe there would be a ban on "away" fans attending the matches.
Unfortunately, there are signs that the Setanta might not be around long enough for us to find out.
The Englishmen came over in the year 2005
But little did they know that we'd planned a wee surprise
Sir David scored the winner, and Windsor Park went wild
And this is what we sang...
You tell me, you're the one who semi quoted a newspaper in some lame attempt to make the incident seem less sectarian.(As if the intended target would have been fair game due to his past) If that wasn't your intention why mention it.How does it make it "ok"?
Such as?
Banning all National flags.
Are paramilitary flags allowed in Windsor? If they are then ban them. If not then the people waving them should be taken out of the ground immediately and banned for life.
DCFC
Care to expand? I haven't heard anything about it being wound up. Isn't there a contract in place for another good few years?
Rovers could well have qualified by next year.
DCFC
Why ban all national flags? To do so would cause uproar amongst our supporters and rightly so. People all over the world fly their national flag at games so why can we not do the same? There is nothing sectarian about a national flag and if someone chooses to take offence I would suggest it is they who have the problem and not the person with the flag.
I would imagine a paramilitary flag would be removed at Windsor, it certainly should be.
Have to agree with David here, the banning of National flags is a load of ********.
It's got so bad now at the Brandywell they made Sligo Rovers fans take an Irish Tricolor down last year.
Now who at the Brandywell would have been offended by Sligo fans waving a Tricolor with SRFC on it??
no flags should be banned imo, utter pc ****** when flags start getting banned
also dont see why if a linfield rovers game came about that away fans would not be allowed travel
Rovers tried banning us before.
There is no point trying to have a reasoned conversation with you David.
The UVF flag the other week at the Cliftonville game wasn't removed. (Please tell me you're not the same David from our forum who was going on about it being a 1912 UVF flag and therefore no offensive - cos that is absolute bull****).
In any normal country in the world, flags would be no problem. Unfortunately in the North they are seen as divisive and inflammatory.
DCFC
Yes I am the same David but please if you are going to quote me do so accurately. I did not say that the UVF flag was not offensive. I explained exactly what the flag was but said repeatedly that such a flag has no place whatsoever at a football match. As far as I know it was removed but I could be wrong as I was not even aware of its presence until I was on my way home.
As for your final point, if people have that perception of flags then they have the problem. I would suggest that they don't leave the house as they are constantly going to come across stuff that will offend them. I am British, I am exceptionally proud of being British and I am a very patriotic person and if I choose to display the flag of my country at a football match like football supporters all over the world then nobody has the right to tell me not to do so.
No such attack is "ok" in my mind.
I merely cited a local paper which added a different dimension to the possible motive of the attack.
If you have an issue with their reporting, take in up with the journalist (john Cassidy), not me.
The Englishmen came over in the year 2005
But little did they know that we'd planned a wee surprise
Sir David scored the winner, and Windsor Park went wild
And this is what we sang...
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