Police separate Celtic and Rangers fans after Ibrox pitch invasion

1 week ago 20

Police create cordon on pitch to seperate Old Firm fans

Celtic and Rangers fans have clashed during a pitch invasion following an Old Firm match at Ibrox.

But scenes turned ugly as Rangers fans joined the fracas, with flares thrown and police and stewards forming a barricade between the two sides.

The disorder quickly settled down with fans returning to the stands.

Reuters A line of police on the pitch at Ibrox during an invasion of both Celtic and Rangers fans. A flare burns on the pitch in the foregroundReuters

Police and stewards formed a barricade between the two groups of fans who had invaded the pitch

PA Media A number of football fans running across a football pitch wearing black clothing and face coverings.PA Media

Fans wearing black clothing and blue and red face coverings ran across the pitch

It was the first time Celtic supporters have been given the full Broomloan Stand allocation at Ibrox since it was reduced to fewer than 1,000 in 2018.

Traditionally, around 7,500 Celtic fans filled the stand for Old Firm derbies.

Since then, away allocations at both Ibrox and Celtic Park have fluctuated between about 750 and zero in a series of tit-for-tat moves.

The Scottish Football Association condemned the supporters who went onto the pitch and said an investigation would be carried out "immediately".

PA Media Green smoke over a stand full of Celtic fans at Ibrox - a few of the fans are waving Palestinian flagsPA Media

Green smoke could be seen over the Celtic end of the stadium

Scotland's victims and community safety minister Siobhan Brown said the scenes were "unacceptable".

She said: "Of particular concern is the reckless use of pyrotechnics which could have caused serious injury."

Currently Football Banning Orders (FBOs) are only imposed if supporters are involved in violence or disorder - they enable the authorities to stop fans attending games anywhere in the UK for 10 years.

Both clubs told BBC Sport they would not comment officially yet.

In a post-match interview, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill said: "You're asking me a lot of political questions in this moment when I'm in a euphoric state.

"The fans have spilled over, big scenes at the end, all over the place. I'm not diminishing it at all, I will have a think about it and speak to you in due course."

Meanwhile Rangers head coach Danny Rohl told Premier Sports: "I'm not sure what was at the end, I was in the tunnel."


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