AN ANTI-SECTARIANISM charity has called footage of Rangers fans singing about the Irish Famine a "display of hatred and ignorance".
Video shared on social media showed fans marching through the streets of Glasgow to Sunday's Rangers v Celtic game at Ibrox, with many singing the notorious Famine Song.
With police officers appearing to escort the crowd, dozens of fans belted out the anti-Irish song, which includes the words "well the Famine is over, why don't they go home?"
'Hatred and ignorance'
In a statement to The Irish Post, Nil By Mouth director David Scott hit out at the footage.
"This was no display of passion for a football team or celebration of culture but a display of hatred and ignorance," he said.
"It is the language and attitude of the sewer and the fans involved make a mockery of their multi-cultural team — one of whom was racially abused on the pitch last season — with this sort of bigotry.
"I hope Police can use CCTV footage and social media posts to identify as many of the culprits as possible and share this info with the club so they are banned from the stadium.
"Actions must have consequences."
In the footage, fans could be heard singing: "From Ireland they came, brought us nothing but trouble and shame, well the Famine is over, why don't they go home?"
The Great Famine, which began in 1845, resulted in around 1,000,000 deaths and a similar number emigrating, of which around 100,000 went to Scotland.
The footage comes after Rangers banned several fans who were recorded last weekend singing racist songs about Celtic's Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi.
'Shameful'
Pundit and former footballer Michael Stewart also hit out at the Famine Song footage.
Taking to Twitter, the former Hibs and Hearts midfielder wrote: "A group of guys on a bus singing racist chants are condemned and action taken.
"A larger group walk through a city chanting racist bile and appear to be escorted by police and nothing is done.
"How is this allowed to happen. Shameful."
Meanwhile Paul Sweeney, Labour & Co-op MSP for Glasgow region, called on Police Scotland to take action.
"The 2009 judgement of Lord Carloway in the case of William Walls v. the Procurator Fiscal is very clear.
"The Famine Song is racist. @policescotland should identify and charge those singing it in a public place with breach of the peace aggravated by racial and religious prejudice."
