Disrespecting Scotland's dead, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon ignores the 50th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster as the World, Scotland and ordinary people come together to pay their respects to the 66 people who lost their lives, the worst sporting tragedy in Scottish history and Nicola Sturgeon shows total disrespect, a decade ago, when she attended the 40th anniversary, she was photographed looking bored and completely disinterested, Sturgeon is a leopard that can't change her spots, she isn't interested in ordinary people

Dear All

Happy New Year, and welcome back, hope you enjoyed Xmas and New Year, so already to start again in the battle for truth?

Just as we look forward to a new year, one which hopefully brings us hope, we should also remember our past. Our past gives us a sense of direction, it lets people know who we are, and what we stand for. Some people don't stand for anything, they are users, users of people, and users of situations. Much has been talked about Nicola Sturgeon's bad judgment, in fact that in itself may make a PhD thesis in its own right providing someone can wangle a grant to write. How someone without principles, without substance and without integrity managed to become First Minster of Scotland by riding on the coat tails of a former leader.  

They say nothing beats the atmosphere of an 'old firm' game, the intense rivalry and being in a packed stadium as tens of thousands of supporters scream their hearts, almost expelling as much energy as the players on the pitch. In terms of sporting occasions, an 'old firm' clash remains a highlight of any football season. As someone who lives close to Ibrox for 20 years, on match days, the surrounding area is packed, busloads of fans mill about, Ibrox becomes a huge de facto bus park. There is a great atmosphere and energy as everyone waits for the kick off. There was one day where the sport event left players, fans and Scotland truly shocked, that day is known simply as 'the Ibrox disaster'.

66 supporters were never to return home to love ones after a match with Celtic on January 2 1971 after a deadly crush on Stairway 13 cost them their lives, and also resulted in more than 200 injuries. After the tragedy it led to a huge redevelopment of the Ibrox ground, three-quarters of the ground was replaced by modern all-seater stands, Ibrox was finally converted to a 44,000-capacity stadium by 1981.

As the milestone of 50th anniversary has been reached, many fans, clubs and organisations have been leaving touching Ibrox disaster tributes outside Rangers. On social media and in person, many people have made the effort to show they haven't forgotten the those who died and those who got injured. Fans have been pictured leaving flowers under the memorial statue of John Grieg at Ibrox stadium. Despite the current pandemic, Rangers have had to scale back plans for memorial events.

In a statement published before Saturday's games, the club said:

"Tomorrow is the 50th Anniversary of the 1971 Ibrox Disaster - a day which changed Rangers Football Club and Scottish Football forever. It is with great sadness that the Covid-19 pandemic has prevented us from being able to hold a full, traditional service to commemorate the anniversary. Before the impact of the pandemic took hold, we had planned to hold a service that would be similar in style and scale to the one held at Glasgow Cathedral in 1971. However, as there are no options that allow us to be completely inclusive of all the families, survivors and representatives that should be present at such an occasion, we have decided to postpone a major event until circumstances allow us to hold a service that would reflect the significance and magnitude of the occasion."

One thing which has rightly angered Rangers fans is the complete lack of interest in the 50th anniversary by SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon. As Rangers Fan, Gordon Keane noted on Facebook:

"Ibrox disaster 50th anniversary yesterday.

Local MP - Nothing

Local MSP - Nothing

First Minister - Nothing

SPFL - Nothing

A bunch of ratbags who want to commemorate famines that happened in foreign countries and fly Palestinian flags from the city chambers couldn't find the time to pay respect to the worst sporting tragedy this backward country has ever seen.

Yet broadcasters and governing bodies from around the world were dignified enough to pay homage."

All the politicians listed by Gordon as allegedly showing no interest are all Scottish National Party politicians.

I suppose the question of why they cannot be bothered must be asked. As pointed out, worst sporting tragedy in Scotland's history, and you would have thought that Sturgeon would have at least said something about it. The answer many people would understand or come to a conclusion lies in how the SNP is made up. The four main factions in the SNP which control it can be described as Lgbt, Muslim, the rich and Sein Fein lite. As you are no doubt aware, many SNP politicians wear their Celtic allegiance on their sleeve, and the Sein Fein lite vote is aggressively courted in Glasgow as a voter cache by the Nationalists. In recent times, Rangers Fans have also been offended by what they would call unfair treatment by the SNP with regards to their application for a 'fan zone' around Ibrox.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/3352869/snp-councillors-interfered-rangers-fan-zone/

Both SNP Cllrs were cleared after an investigation.

Here is a link to read kinda makes note in passing of my contention of Sein Fein lite as part of the SNP.

https://www.followfollow.com/forum/threads/ibrox-complex-fanzone-documents.63862/

A person who tags themselves, 'luckywhitefeather' wrote:

"Misses the overall problem we have with a SNP council / mp / msps in Glasgow particularly (though of course nationwide as well) who are just copying their Sinn Fein / ira friends strategy to do everything possible to disrupt / rub out / denigrate any parts / symbols / history / connection to a shared British identity".

The SNP operates on causing division, it's no secret, it's how they have always operated. I am not unlocking any great wisdom here, I have said it for years on this blog, on twitter. If Nicola Sturgeon was in anyway interested in Rangers, it's fans or remembering the 50th anniversary, they would have dropped breadcrumbs prior to Sturgeon saying something. This is called seeding, when you leak bits of info, to create an interest before the main act swoops in to do their big number.

On Twitter, many people noticed the complete silence of SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon, and vented their anger.

alex l tweeted:

"Mrs Murrell. The Ibrox disaster 50 years ago, affected people from all over Scotland. Lives taken in horrific circumstances in minutes. Yet you couldn't bring yourself to take a minute to acknowledge this awful event in our history. You are a disgrace. Go."

Vanguard Bears added:

"Disappointing but not unexpected that First Minister @NicolaSturgeon could not take just one minute out of her day to recognise the 50th Anniversary of the Ibrox Disaster yesterday - a tragedy that affected the whole of Scotland."

Tom McVey:

"Disappointed to see that neither the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing

@MairiGougeon or the First Minister @NicolaSturgeon deemed it appropriate to comment on the 50th anniversary of the Ibrox Disaster yesterday. Particularly as Ibrox is in the FM constituency."

Ashley mccoll:

" @NicolaSturgeon think your lack of respect for the victims of the ibrox disaster yesterday is absolutely disgusting!!!!!"

Hugh Walker:

"@MBS1872 and @NicolaSturgeon

No surprises there. Our FM is frightened she would lose votes rather than be a real leader and acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the Ibrox Disaster. Even our greatest rivals had the respect and decency to do so every year the Old Firm Ne'erday game is at Ibrox."

Alan MacLean:

"@NicolaSturgeon The Ibrox disaster took 66 lives & is one of Scotlands worst peacetime tragedies. It still brings people to tears. Including myself. Do you not think as First Minister of Scotland that you should have acknowledged this anniversary & offered comfort to the country?"

Willem Hendrik:

"Can you @NicolaSturgeon @ScotGovFM or any of your cabinet ministers or msp's explain why there's been no mention from yous of the 50th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster?"

I think you can get a sense of how people feel regarding this subject, in fact in researching this article, I came across a picture of Nicola Sturgeon.

https://twitter.com/RangersClips/status/1343485179655049216/photo/1

This picture was posted by Rangers Clips on twitter which they say relates to the 40th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster, Nicola Sturgeon looking rather bored. She sits there completely disinterested and showing that look when you have to turn up to somewhere you obviously don't want to be. In fact, why should anyone be surprised? 'Why should anyone be surprised' is also a remark which was much used on twitter to describe their and others reaction to Sturgeon's lack of empathy.

Finally, Nicola Sturgeon's neglect of Govanhill is well known, so why should any other group like Rangers and its fans, or the fact it is 50th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster be of any interest to someone as shallow as her? Sturgeon likes to tick the boxes of fake concern, but you do get to see the mask slip either by accident or when she thinks the cameras aren't rolling. So many people took the time to note the 50th anniversary but not Nicola Sturgeon. If she was interested, because of the Holyrood election, there would have been a full scale production. People would have got a sickly, carefully stage managed performance to make her look like Lady Diana. People would have to sit through a pre-written speech designed to make Sturgeon look like she always cared. I would say even although Ibrox is in Sturgeon's boundary, she isn't interested in the area as her team probably would concentrate on more affluent areas in Glasgow South, and areas where they have formed voter caches of minority community votes.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University