SINGER Rod Stewart has been pictured flashing the middle finger at Celtic fans who booed him upon his arrival at Celtic Park on Saturday.
Celebrity fan Stewart, 78, was at the ground for Celtic's Premiership clash with Motherwell.
However, his arrival coincided with a 'day of action' by members of the club's ultras group, the Green Brigade.
The singer, who previously expressed his support for the Conservatives, was greeted with chants of 'F*** the Tories' (Image: Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images))The Maggie May singer made his way into the ground as fans gathered outside to greet the team and the ultras group held their demonstration.
As Stewart walked past, some fans could be heard booing and chanting 'F*** the Tories'.
In December 2019, Stewart congratulated Boris Johnson in the wake of the Conservatives’ General Election victory, which angered many of the club's fanbase.
Earlier this year, Stewart revealed he had been a Tory 'for a long time', although he also called for the government to stand down and 'give the Labour Party a go'.
Stewart appeared relaxed inside the ground as he watched the game with son Alistair (Image: Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)Despite his apparent political change of heart, Celtic fans hadn't forgotten his support for the party with their chants on Saturday.
A smiling Stewart responded by flipping his middle finger as he passed, before entering the ground.
The singer appeared in good spirits inside the stadium, where he and his son Alistair watched as Celtic were held to a 1-1 draw by the Steelmen.
Bans
Celtic last month suspended the season tickets of 267 fans registered with the ticket office as members of the Green Brigade over what it called 'unacceptable conduct concerning the group'.
It cited the use of pyrotechnics, turnstile-rushing and opening fire doors as being among the rule breaches committed by the fans.
In response, the Green Brigade claimed the ban was imposed 'as a result of the group's unapologetic solidarity with Palestine'.
Fans gather outside Celtic Park on Saturday (Image: Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)A later statement from Celtic said the suspensions 'have categorically not been imposed as a result of the display of Palestinian flags' but for 'real safety concerns resulting from the behaviour of the group'.
"The Club is therefore disappointed with the attempts by the group not only to downplay the safety related behaviours, some of which the group has now publicly admitted, but also to conflate the reasoning behind the actions taken by the Club with the use by supporters of Palestinian flags," added the statement.
“That is particularly so, when there is evidence of the group using banners and flags relating to or connected with terrorist organisations involved in the conflict in the Middle East.”
The fans welcomed Brendan Rodgers and his side ahead of the clash with Motherwell (Image: Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)The Green Brigade responded by saying it would no longer participate in an 'online game of statement-tennis which was initiated by the PLC board, and which it continues to draw out by repeating the same disingenuous claims that we have already addressed'.
"Should our own situation not be satisfactorily resolved by Celtic vs Motherwell, 25/11/23, we will organise a day of action at this match," added the statement.
Some flares were let off during Saturday's gathering, which saw the group welcome manager Brendan Rodgers and his team ahead of the game despite not being permitted into the ground.
Despite the stalemate on the pitch, Celtic remain eight points clear after Rangers drew at Aberdeen on Sunday, although the Ibrox side have a game in hand.
