MORE CELTIC SLANDER AND INFLAMATORY LANGUAGE FROM THE S*N
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- Apr 5
- 3 min read
Not content with totally disgracing themselves once already this week, The S*n newspaper went after Celtic fans again yesterday, with another venomous and entirely one-sided piece of reporting.
I spoke before about the responsibility newspapers have to think carefully about the words they use when describing events and people. Once again, The S*n showed they either don’t understand or don’t want to understand this point.
CELTIC WILL WIN THE LEAGUE, THIS ISN’T AN “OLD FIRM” PARTY
As I mentioned the other day, the newspapers and other media in Scotland love to throw Celtic and Rangers in the same category whenever they can.
Yesterday’s headline is just another example of fear-mongering, sweeping generalizations and the lazy application of the “both as bad as each other” trope we are all so sick of seeing.
The Headline read: Mayhem Fears: Old Firm party talks collapse leaving city bracing for chaos.
I have to admit, part of me is actually slightly impressed that The S*n managed to cram so much hyperbolic, inflammatory, fear-mongering horse sh*t into a single headline.
Basically this “exclusive” as the newspaper claims, is just a retread of the very same story we published here on ACSOM.net two days ago.
Glasgow City Council couldn’t reach an agreement on how to hold a title winning celebration for Celtic fans when the time inevitably comes that we win the league.
We’ve known that since Wednesday, yet, its only now that The S*n decides to make it an “exclusive”. Do they not understand what the word means? More likely, I suspect, they’re banking on most of their readers not knowing what that means.
The story goes on to retread the same figures put out by Glasgow City Council around the costs of repairs after last year’s celebrations in The Trongate.
It doesn’t challenge the numbers, or point out the obvious fact that many of these repairs were already needed before a single Celtic fan set foot on the street that day.
The article then goes on to make a direct parallel with the riot involving Rangers fans in George Square.
A reminder, that “gathering” not only led to mass vandalism, violence and disorder, but it was also at a time when public health advice was to avoid getting together in large numbers.
There was this small thing called a global pandemic going on at the time.
The Sun glosses over all that of course, and doesn’t mention any monetary figure for the cost of repairing George Square.
I’ll guess though, that it was significantly higher than the 73,000 pounds The S*n falsely attributes to the cost of Celtic’s title party last year.
They also mention the 19 arrests at last year’s event, but give no figures for the Rangers equivalent in 2021.
Also, whilst it doesn’t confirm what those 19 arrests were for, I’ll bet none of them were for masturbating in public. Rangers fans have the “exclusive” on that one.
The implication from The S*n is clear: “they're both as bad as each other, but just to remind you which one is actually worse in our eyes, were only going to tell you about the financial impact of the Celtic fans’ actions.”
Don’t just take my word for it though. Even one of the interviewees for the story itself, torpedoes The S*n’s false narrative.
The story quotes Enrico Calvi, owner of the Val D’oro (an excellent wee fish and chip shop by the way).
The Val D’oro is right on the corner of Glasgow Cross, the epicenter of last year’s title celebrations. So, if there was any truth to The S*n’s fear-mongering, I’d think Mr Calvi is better placed to talk about it than anyone.
So, what carnage was he and his business subjected to last year?
None as it turns out.
Mr Calvi said: “I personally don't think it got out of hand. I think it just needs to be better organized really. Out of hand, no, because we were fine.
He does go on to make another good point, one which The S*n quoted but chose to relegate to the end of the story, when their average reader’s seconds long attention span has long since expired.
He continued: "They (the authorities) don't want to sanction it as an event which is silly because they know it happens every year, whether it's Rangers or whether it's Celtic.”
As a local business owner, I’d say Mr Calvi is better placed to judge what’s “mayhem” and what isn’t than anyone at The S*n.
Remember folks, these rags feed on division, ignorance and fear. Don’t play their game. Don’t buy The S*n.
