The campaign aims to:
- Tackle religious bigotry and sectarian attitudes and behaviour in, and associated with, Scottish football
- Assist and empower football supporters’ organisations to tackle religious bigotry
- Work with football players, clubs, authorities and others to eradicate sectarianism
- Co-ordinate inclusive Kick-out Bigotry football events
- Deliver inclusive Kick-out Bigotry educational initiatives
- Taking Action to Prevent and Address Instances of Unacceptable Behaviour
As a Club, we take our responsibilities very seriously in respect of issues of
unacceptable conduct, whether within or outside of our stadium and there are numerous measures which are in place to prevent such conduct.
On an ongoing basis, these include:
- Meetings with Police Scotland, G4S Security, St Johnstone FC’s Safety Officer and Club Personnel prior to every game at McDiarmid Park
- There is a protocol in place between the Club and Police Scotland which includes a “sharing of information”.
- Ensuring that there are sufficient police and stewards in attendance at each game.
- A CCTV system.
- Matchday programme – messages are inserted which relate to behaviour of spectators, seating policy, smoking policy, racist chanting, etc and the likely action to be taken by the Club should spectators fail to abide by the Club’s rules and Safety Certificate.
- The SPFL charter on Unacceptable Conduct is prominently displayed inside each turnstile.
- “All ticket” games – conditions of entry are printed on the reverse of each ticket and these include reference to the Criminal Law (Consolidated) (Scotland) Act 1995.
- Ground Regulations are on display outside each turnstile.
- Tannoy announcements are made prior to each first team fixture regarding unacceptable behaviour.
- The Club has been actively involved in “Show Racism the Red Card”and also with selected schools from our area being invited to McDiarmid Park for a “question and answer” session with our players (annually). In addition, in conjunction with “Show Racism the Red Card” and Perth & Kinross Council, the Club visits primary schools in our area to promote anti racism.
- Trackside advertising board – Show Racism the Red Card.
- Working with Police/Stewards to identify offending “supporters” (ongoing) Information provided to the Club by Police/Stewards re ejections/arrests for action to be taken.
The Club shall take whatever means necessary to ensure that those who are proven to have caused disruption, broken ground regulations or in any way behaved in an unacceptable manner are banned from McDiarmid Park for a period to be determiend at the time of the instruction and this is separate from any Football Banning Order imposed by the Courts.
Scottish Professional Football League Unacceptable Conduct
The Scottish Professional Football League has instigated an initiative on
Unacceptable Conduct. This initiative makes it the responsibility of the Club at both home and away games regarding the conduct of their supporters.
St Johnstone Football Club will not tolerate unacceptable conduct at McDiarmid Park or at any other stadium.
Unacceptable conduct is conduct which is violent or disorderly. Violent conduct includes any actual, attempted or threatened physical violence against any person, or intentional damage to property.
Disorderly conduct includes:
Conduct which stirs up or sustains, or is likely or is designed to stir up or sustain, hatred or ill will against or towards individuals or groups of people because of: colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin; membership, or presumed membership, of a religious group or of a social cultural group with perceived religious affiliation; sexual orientation, transgender identity; disability; using threatening, abusive or insulting words or conduct; displaying writing
or any other things which is threatening, abusive or insulting.
This list is not exhaustive and must be read in conjunction with the Stadium Regulations. Upon determining that a breach of, or failure to fulfil the rules has been established, a number of options are available to the SPFL, three of which are: give a reprimand to the club; impose a fine on the club; impose a deduction of points.
Any person engaging in unacceptable conduct may be subject to any or a
combination of the following: removal from the stadium, suspension from attending official matches involving St Johnstone Football Club; indefinite ban from attending official matches involving St Johnstone Football Club; report to the Police and possible criminal proceedings.
