CELTIC fans unfurled a huge banner during their Europa League clash against Sturm Graz in reference to the Soldier F ruling.
A former British paratrooper, known only as Soldier F, was found not guilty yesterday of committing two murders and five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday in 1972.
Bloody Sunday is regarded as one of the darkest days in the history of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, with 13 civilians were shot dead at a civil rights demonstration in Derry.
Celtic fans have long been known for their support of Irish republicanism and in the hours after the ruling, a display was unveiled in the Green Brigade’s section of the stadium whilst the match against Sturm Graz was in full flow.
The ultras held up a banner that read: “A coward walks free from the dock – there is no British justice“.
Delivering his verdict, Judge Lynch said the Crown had failed to establish that Soldier F was “knowingly and intentionally assisting in the shootings, with intent to kill, or was shooting himself with that intention”.
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The sole evidence against Soldier F was from two other veterans, Soldiers G and H, and the judge said there were difficulties in relying on it.
He added: “Their statements, the sole and decisive evidence, cannot be tested in a way that witnesses giving evidence from the witness box would be.
“Delay has, in my view, seriously hampered the capacity of the defence to test the veracity and accuracy of the hearsay statements.
“The two witnesses are themselves, on the basis of the Crown case guilty of murder as, in essence, accomplices with a motivation to name F as a participant in their murderous activities.
“I find that they have been serially untruthful about matters central to events giving rise to this prosecution.”
However, he also said those responsible for the killings should “hang their heads in shame”.
Lynch said: “They had totally lost all sense of military discipline. They were members of a regiment formed in 1942 at the behest of prime minister Churchill and had a proud record in World War Two.
“Those who fought valiantly against SS Panzer divisions in 1944 have had their regiment sullied by some of their successors.
“Shooting in the back unarmed civilians fleeing from them on the streets of a British city.
“Those responsible should hang their heads in shame.”
Uefa normally take a dim view on what they call “political statements” at their matches.
The club has a suspended sentence hanging over its head after previous displays from fans.
Most recently, they risked punishment by flying a banner that said Uefa was “complicit in genocide with Israel”.
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