Green Brigade hit out after Celtic BAN Hibs tifo as club stand firm on stance following ‘serious breaches of protocol’

CELTIC were caught up in the storm surrounding their rival’s use of a tifo last weekend.

And now the Premiership champions have banned their OWN supporters from displaying a banner this weekend.

Rangers fans’ display of a banner with Graeme Souness pointing a shotgun and the words ‘take aim against the rebel scum’ led to a police probe after last week’s Old Firm match.

And Celtic supporter group the Green Brigade have now announced that the club is upholding already-existing sanctions against the group for previous displays, and won’t allow them to produce a banner during Saturday’s match against Hibs.

The group posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Unfortunately, the club has refused tomorrow’s NCC tifo.

“This is a continued sanction due to the Green Brigade’s ‘Red Card’ and Bik McFarlane tifos.

“Despite repeated attempts, the club has refused to meet with the Green Brigade since November 2023.”

The two incidents the group mentioned both occurred in February of this year, first when the Green Brigade held up a display reading ‘show Israel the red card’ during a Champions League match with Bayern Munich.

Uefa didn’t end up taking action against Celts, although another banner later in the month, in honour of notorious IRA bomber Brendan ‘Bik’ McFarlane, did result in a police probe.

Celtic said in an email: “Unfortunately, following the club’s review of events and relevant processes from earlier this season, which has concluded that there have been serious breaches of the Banner Protocol by the group, the club does not approve the request to set up and display a tifo at tomorrow’s match.

“The club therefore requests that the group does not bring any tifo or other banners to the stadium for the match, as access will not be provided at any time prior to or during the match.

“The club also requests that the group complies with club regulations and protocols, and safety and competition regulations, at the match, including the prohibition on the use of any pyrotechnics.

“The club remains open to scheduling a meeting to discuss these matters at a future time.”