'Pure ignorance': Former FIFA chief hits out at 'a failure to grasp meaning of remembrance' in wake of Celtic fans booing during minute's silence before Aberdeen game

A former leading light in FIFA has said education and political leadership are needed to overcome the “pure ignorance” which some people have about what Remembrance Day and the poppy really mean.
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By Adam Kula
Published 13th Nov 2023, 12:11 BST

Jim Boyce was speaking to the News Letter in the wake of an incident at Parkhead on Sunday just before the Celtic vs Aberdeen game, when a number of Celtic fans booed loudly during the minute’s silence, which was abandoned after 30 seconds by the referee.

Mr Boyce emphasised that he was not speaking just about Sunday’s events, but about all such occasions when acts of remembrance have been “desecrated” through “ignorance”.

Celtic FC have yet to comment on the booing.

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Celtic and Aberdeen players take part in a minute's silence for Remembrance Day during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, GlasgowCeltic and Aberdeen players take part in a minute's silence for Remembrance Day during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow
Celtic and Aberdeen players take part in a minute's silence for Remembrance Day during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow

It comes after about 250 fans from the club’s ultra wing – the Green Brigade – had their season tickets suspended after a mass flouting of the rules on political symbols at a game against Atletico Madrid on October 25.

On that occasion, hundreds of fans (at the very least) waved Palestinian flags from the stands, and some waved the flags of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, designated as a terror group by the USA and EU (but not UK).

Mr Boyce was vice-president of FIFA, the global body governing all of world football, from 2011 to 2015.

He told the News Letter: “Remembrance Day to me, and the wearing of poppies, is to commemorate the people who lost their lives throughout this island – both north and south – serving in world wars.

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"There are many people, both Protestant and Catholic who lost their lives serving their countries in those two world wars.

"Unfortunately politics have taken over here, especially in the NI situation, regarding Remembrance Day. And I have to say I blame a lot of the political leaders…

“My own feeling is the real meaning of Remembrance Day has been lost in the political malaise that's happening over the last number of years in our country.”

He said politicians should be “emphasising” the core reason for such events – namely, mourning the casualties of WWI and WWII.

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The lack of such understanding makes him “feel very sad,” he said, adding: “Personally I think they should be educating people much, much more, because a lot of these younger people, a lot of people who are involved in these demonstrations and anti-remembrance [protests], I don't think they realise what the true meaning of Remembrance Day is.

"They're just ignorant – it's just pure ignorance.”