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Sunday issues correction over ‘illegal’ march slur

A Scottish Sunday newspaper has issued a correction after reporting that football fans staged an ‘unauthorised’ and ‘illegal’ march through Glasgow in April.

A complaint was made to the Press Complaints Commission by Stewart Moore following the piece in the Sunday Herald, which featured the headline: “Football fans protest over crackdown on hate crime”.

An online article reported on a rally by around 3,000 Celtic fans, who claim they are being criminalised by “disproportionate” measures to crack down on hate crime, in Glasgow’s Geroge Square.

The report stated that the protestors had staged an ‘unauthorised’ and ‘illegal’ march through the city

Mr Moore complained to the PCC under Clause One of the Editors Code, which relates to accuracy, after the police confirmed  that they were satisfied by the manner in which fans had dispersed from George Square.

A correction published in the paper read: “Our article (‘Football fans protest over crackdown on hate crime’, April 6, 2013) stated that after the conclusion of a rally in George Square, Celtic fans staged an ‘unauthorised march’ through Glasgow.

“This was based on a prior police warning to fans ‘that any procession along the road from George Square would be illegal and anyone involved could find themselves subject to prosecution’.

“We are happy to make clear that police were satisfied with the manner in which fans dispersed from George Square.”

An online article was also amended accordingly.