https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2ergln8z4po

A Democratic Unionist Party MP has called on Celtic Football Club to take action against fans who held up a banner commemorating a former IRA man at a match this week.

The banner was unfurled at Celtic Park ahead of Tuesday's Scottish Premiership match against Aberdeen.

It paid tribute to Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane, who died at the weekend, describing him as a "hero".

McFarlane was jailed in 1976 for his part in a gun and bomb attack on Bayardo Bar in Belfast in which five people were killed.

DUP MP Gregory Campbell tabled an early day motion at Westminster raising concern about the banner and calling on Celtic to take action against those responsible.

Campbell said if the club failed to act it will lead to the "belief in wider society" that it is content to be associated with the tribute.

On Friday, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly expressed condolences following the "sad passing of my friend and comrade", adding he was a "huge figure within republicanism".

Celtic Football Club have been approached for comment.

by WrongdoerGold1683

17 comments

  1. Can we just stop commemorating people who killed civilians in general?

  6. Didn’t see them yapping about the ss deaths head banner at a rangers game a few months back. How strange…

  7. The DUP share power with Sinn Fein. How can you say former IRA members can be the justice minister, or the education minister even deputy first minister but it’s unacceptable to pay tribute to them when they die?

  8. Fuck up Gregory ya anti-Catholic bigot. Celtic should quite rightly tell you to ram your demand on how they deal with matters at the club.

  9. Can’t believe people here still do the whole Celtic & Rangers thing

  10. And so the cycle of whataboutery and misery continues

  11. Scottish secterianism cringe, bunch of wankers. Love the Free Palestine stuff but the IRA stuff is embarrassing in 2025.

  12. I’m a republican, but I don’t think the commemorations of Bik in general are appropriate.

    The man broke an IRA ceasefire to mow down civilians at a taxi rank with a machine gun.

    He was also involved in an operation that saw a Garda and an Irish soldier killed.

    Of course he was very influential during the hunger strikes, but that doesn’t forgive what he did in Bayardo.

  14. I tried not to laugh when I saw some Celtic fans trying to defend it by saying good old Bik was a massive Celtic fan and there was nothing controversial about eulogising him at a football game.

    Aye ….. It’s strange that every Celtic fan across diaspora who dies untimely doesn’t get such glorification, it just happens to one who mowed down innocent civilians on behalf of the Ra… 🤦

    Just say it’s wrong and quit the whataboutery for once.

  16. Those filmed using these signs, any signs, any side, should be automatically barred from the grounds, & if it continues then Grounds should be closed to supporters & club loose out on the gate.

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