Football fans who cause disorder on trains to be targeted by new Transport Police unit
British Transport Police is to deploy a new unit on Scotland's rail network in context of increasing football-related anti-social behaviour
Herald Scotland
By Gerry Braiden
A NEW unit of uniformed and plain clothes police officers is being deployed across Scotland's rail network on the back of increasing reports of anti-social behaviour by football supporters.
In one of the first long-term operations of its kind in Scotland, British Transport Police (BTP) said a dedicated football team within the force would be effective at identifying and deterring problems caused by fans on the railways.
BTP said it would not comment on the number of officers being deployed within the unit but said it was already operating with three men, two believed to be affiliated to Partick Thistle and another to English top-flight team Tottenham Hotspur, arrested for alleged disorder at Glasgow’s Queen Street station in recent days.
The move comes on the back new figures showing a rise in football-related incidents on the rail network. According to BTP, during last season there were 86 incidents of disorder recorded that could be directly linked to fans.
But already this season there have been 56 incidents recorded. Incidents range from rowdy and boisterous shouting and singing; religiously offensive and sectarian chanting as well as assaults of a physical and sexual nature.
Insisting football-related disorder was "not solely about the central belt", BTP said supporters of teams from all Scottish leagues have indulged in anti-social behaviour in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Motherwell, Bathgate, Stirling, Paisley Kirkcaldy, Falkirk, Dumfries and as far north as Brora.
The force also said supporters of English Premiership teams returning north also pose a risk, creating the potential for cross-border services to be disrupted. Supporters who travelled from Lancaster recently were required to be escorted from a train when it arrived at Glasgow’s Central station.
The force added that "supporters of the national team are not immune from being involved in disorder".
Chief Superintendent John McBride, Divisional Commander for British Transport Police in Scotland, said: “While the rail network in Scotland remains a safe and secure environment and the vast majority of the travelling public can move around without hindrance, incidents and hate crimes do occur which have a disproportionately high impact on the quality of travel for other rail users.
"I fail to see why some football supporters can’t travel to watch their team by train without indulging in behaviour which can make the journey intolerable for others.
“The deployment of the dedicated football policing unit is already making a difference with the officers being able to very quickly identify potential troublemakers and will not hesitate to intervene where necessary. Only last week three men were arrested for alleged disorder at Glasgow’s Queen Street station appeared at court.”
One source said that while the new unit would have some input into the often controversial Police Scotland equivalent FoCUS, it did not have the same "baggage", adding that the public was often reassured by the presence of officers on trains.
The source added that BTP were less confrontational in their attitude towards football supporters and often tapped into UK-wide tactics and approaches which FoCUS were less inclined to use.
Earlier this year BTP’s Chief Constable Paul Crowther hosted a summit bringing together clubs, authorities, train operators and other organisations, which concluded that there was a "pervasive tolerance of thuggish behaviour by football supporters which needs robust action".
A spokeswoman for ScotRail said: “We’re pleased to be the first train operator in the UK to have BTP ‘Text 61016’ stickers on our entire fleet to ensure our customers know how to contact the police should they need to do so, both throughout the year and during the football season.”
Dave Scott, campaign director of anti-sectarian group Nil By Mouth, said: "The sight of police officers on the train is probably the most effective deterrent to anti social behaviour on the railways and passengers will welcome this initiative. I'd suggest that most genuine football fans will also welcome the move.
"Football is a big part of Christmas and New Year for tens of thousands of people and it's important that this isn't ruined by the mindless actions of a baleful minority of fans who indulge in loutish, sectarian and provocative behaviour."
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