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There were horrifying scenes when Rangers and Celtic fans invaded the field after the Hoops’ penalty shoot-out win at Ibrox, leaving staff injured and numerous arrests made.
Police and stewards forcibly remove fans (Image: PA)
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The Old Firm match ended in chaotic scenes as supporters of both teams stormed the pitch after Celtic won on penalties in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. These pitch invasions led to violent clashes, requiring extensive police intervention to restore order. Police Scotland confirmed that several police officers and civilians were injured in the “despicable” violence. Authorities noted that many individuals were specifically armed with items intended to cause bodily harm. Initially a small number of Rangers fans threatened to pile up on the pitch before being pushed back. But the homestand could not contain themselves from drawing the line as Celtic supporters poured onto the pitch. One member of Celtic’s backroom team was confronted. Fans pounced on stewards and police, but manager Martin O’Neill later said his staff had tried to prevent the incident. Celtic full-back Julian Araujo confronted a fan. O’Neill led Araujo to his sending off as a potential meeting between Rangers and Celtic fans in midfield was averted. Massive vandalism occurred at Ibrox Stadium, where Celtic supporters spray-painted offensive graffiti mocking the 1971 Ibrox disaster. These sickening slurs were aimed at the memory of the 66 fans who lost their lives in the historic tragedy, which left extensive physical damage to the stadium, which is estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to repair. A number of seats were stripped from the Broome Lawn Stand, which had been allocated entirely to away fans for the first time since 2018. Rangers officials expressed deep concern over the discovery of a large number of counterfeit tickets used by fans in attendance. This security breach contributed to overcrowding and increased the reported “crazy” atmosphere inside the ground. Law enforcement has already made several arrests and is using surveillance footage to identify more people involved in criminal activity. Both clubs are expected to fully co-operate with a thorough investigation led by the Scottish Football Association, but the scale of the disturbance casts serious doubt on the future of large away fan quotas at Old Firm derbies. Authorities are now under pressure to once again drastically reduce the number of fans in order to ensure public safety and prevent such embarrassing incidents from happening again.
Superintendent Kate Stephen said: “The actions of a number of supporters during today’s Scottish Cup quarter-final match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox were disgraceful and must be condemned by everyone in the football community and wider society.”
“A number of arrests have already been made and Police Scotland will now work with both clubs and the Scottish Football Association to carry out a thorough investigation into the circumstances on the pitch at the end of the match.
“Officers and stewards were subjected to extreme hostility and violence over an extended period of time, with many armed with the clear intent of causing harm. Officers and members of the public were injured in this despicable act, and I would like to express my gratitude to all the officers and staff who were deployed.”
“The investigation also included the actions of some supporters who entered the Broomlawn Road stand without tickets before the match started, delaying security services and forcing the closure of turnstiles for a period of time.
“I would also encourage anyone with information about who was involved in the disturbance before, during or after the match to contact Police Scotland on 101.”
Read the full report: Celtic star launches onslaught of adult abuse against Rangers as Aruajo and Maeda show their true colors to rivals Celtic vandals spray paint disgusting Ibrox disaster slur and rip seats apart as Rangers rack up huge costs
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