Celtic are yet to comment on their fans mocking of the Queen, despite facing a UEFA charge over anti-royal banners being unveiled by fans that included one which read ‘F*** the Crown’.
The banners were unveiled before their Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw on Wednesday.
Supporters of the club held up two banners, one which read ‘F*** The Crown’ and another ‘Sorry for your loss Michael Fagan’, the latter being a reference to an intruder who found his way into the late Queen’s bedroom at Buckingham Palace 40 years ago.
UEFA subsequently announced they had charged the club in a statement: ‘Please be informed that proceedings have been opened against Celtic FC regarding a banner displayed during their UEFA Champions League match against FC Shakhtar Donetsk played on 14 September in Warsaw.
‘The UEFA disciplinary bodies will decide on the matter in due course.’
However, the club are yet to make a statement on the matter and Sportsmail have approached Celtic for comment.
The Scottish giants also didn’t hold a press conference ahead of this weekend’s visit to St Mirren, who have decided to ditch holding a moment of silence for the Queen ahead of Sunday’s game, due to fears of mass booing from away fans.
As reported by the Daily Record, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will instead be remembered with a minute’s applause.
Celtic fans mocked the Queen’s death with offensive banners at a Champions League tie
BT Sport were forced to apologise during Wednesday’s game after honing in on an offensive banner concerning the Queen’s death.
All UK teams playing home or away were permitted to hold a one-minute silence as a mark of respect for the Queen, who died last week.
Following a pre-match meeting between Celtic, Shakhtar and UEFA, however, it was decided that there would be no silence before kick off.
Players from both teams did wear black armbands in Her Majesty’s memory.
Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic players did wear black armbands in Her Majesty’s memory
Another banner which read ‘Sorry for your loss Michael Fagan’ was also unfurled
The ‘sorry for your loss Michael Fagan’ banner was in reference to the man who famously managed to scale the Buckingham Palace walls before creeping into Her Majesty’s bedroom while she slept in 1982.
Fagan, a then painter and decorator, who has schizophrenia, spent around 10 minutes talking to the monarch about his family.
The late monarch thought Fagan was just a drunk member of staff, who was eventually tackled by a duty footman.
talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan discussed the offensive banners on Friday morning and said UEFA may ban Celtic from away games in the Champions League.
He also implored that the club shouldn’t remain silent on the matter and instead condemn their fans’ behaviour.
He told talkSPORT: ‘It depends what the rules allow them (UEFA) to do. It’s a very sensitive subject and freedom of speech is the sentiment people like to hide behind to say abusive things at times.
St Mirren will hold a minute’s applause for the Queen before their clash with Celtic on Sunday after fears that visiting fans could boo during the tributes to the late royal
‘They say if you want to praise something I should be allowed to criticise something.
‘That’s not criticism they put up, it’s abuse and it’s different. So it might range that there could be a ban on away fans for Celtic travelling to away grounds so well done you, well done for that it’ll be great for the club. Or it might just be a financial consequence.
‘Celtic as a football club need to come out and be condemnatory of that and I hope they do. It’s one thing clubs being responsible for their fans, it’s another thing being silent on the behaviour of their fans.’
Celtic’s trip to St Mirren comes as Scottish football is back up and running this weekend after games were postponed last weekend following the Queen’s passing.
While English Premier League games this weekend will have a minute’s silence and have the National Anthem featured at all matches, the SPFL have stated that clubs ‘may wish’ to hold a period of silence ‘and/or play the National Anthem’ ahead of kick-off.
This weekend will see more tributes to the Queen with clubs expected to hold moments of silences following her death on September 8 at the age of 96
Celtic’s Old Firm rivals Glasgow Rangers meanwhile will not be punished for playing the national anthem at Ibrox, despite UEFA turning down their request to do so.
The Scottish club – along with Manchester City and Chelsea – had requested to play God Save the King ahead of their Champions League fixture this week following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
In a move revealed by Sportsmail which sparked heavy criticism, UEFA said no to all three pleas, stating that they had to ensure the build-up to each match was ‘consistent’.
Regardless, Rangers played the National Anthem following a minute’s silence ahead of their 3-0 defeat to Napoli last night, with thousands – including players – joining in a rousing rendition.
UEFA have now confirmed that they will not be punishing the club and they are not subject to any disciplinary matters.
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