POLICE say a loyalist style fan banner featuring a Union Jack confiscated at the St Mirren v Rangers match in Paisley was removed for "safety reasons".

Fans and and anti-football law protesters criticised police for rermoving the flag,  which contains loyalist symbolism  a Union Jack and Rangers emblems within an St George's Cross.

It was taken at half time during Sunday's match at St Mirren Park after a steward told fans to bring it down from above their heads.

When it was taken down a female police officer said it would have to be taken off them to be returned at the full time whistle.

A supporters club representative said that when he had refused, saying it would be folded away, another officer leant over the advertising boards and "grabbed it off me from behind".  It was returned at the end of the game.

The supporters club representative said at one point the officer apologised and explained that the atmosphere had turned sour.  But representative said it was "completely untrue and was only created by his actions and his actions alone!"

Glasgow Times:

The supporters club are planning to send a letter of complaint to Police Scotland.

Match Commander Chief Inspector Robert Kennedy said the banner was not removed due to its content.

He said: “St Mirren Football Club has a strict policy of no surfing banners in the stadium for safety reasons.

“Stewards noticed two surfing banners on either side of the north stand and went to request that they were taken down to ensure the safety of spectators in the stand.

“One of the banners was taken down immediately, however the owners of the other banner refused to take it down.

“Police then intervened, explaining to the owners that the banner was being taken to ensure the safety of all supporters and that it would be available to collect at reception after the game.

“The banner was not removed due to its content."

The Paisley Loyal fans group representative said: "The three remaining police officers in our section completely agreed with me that he was out of order and they were left with hundreds of unhappy supporters due to his actions!"

The Sons of Struth Rangers fans group said they would help with any complaint and put an idea to Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Glasgow Times:

The representative added: "When collecting the flag at full time he once again apologised but it's not good enough as the way he treated us was unbelievable and completely unjustified."

Protest group Fans Against Criminalisation, which is campaigning for the scrapping of a controversial anti-bigotry law designed to stamp out offensive behaviour at matches in Scotland, believed the incident was "more political policing from Police Scotland".

The banner also contains a composite of the Northern Ireland national flag and the Saltire featuring the Red Hand of Ulster which is used is seen as a Protestant symbol.

The incident comes three weeks after concerns about the level of policing at a banner demonstration planned for Douglas Park, Hamilton which led to anti football law banners being prevented from being taken in.

The Scottish Government pushed through the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 in a bid to get tough on sectarianism in the aftermath of the Old Firm 'shame game' in 2011.