Two men have been arrested and charged after three police officers were assaulted during disorder outside the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. The violence broke out in the Congress Road area at around 11.10pm on November 7, following a bare knuckle fighting event at the venue.
Two of the assaulted officers required medical treatment. The two men arrested, aged 32 and 27, have been charged with offences including assault, obstructing police and threatening and abusive behaviour. They will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Further arrests and police response
Another three men were arrested and issued with a recorded police warning for threatening and abusive behaviour, and breach of the peace. Video footage shared online shows groups of men exchanging punches on Congress Road, with large numbers of police vehicles arriving at the scene. Dozens of officers were seen leaving vans in an attempt to restore order, and police formed a barricade outside the Hilton Garden Inn to disperse the crowd.
Nearby residents noticed the substantial police response, with one posting: "What on earth is happening in Glasgow? Absolute chaos." An eyewitness wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Major incident in Glasgow now. Police everywhere. 100s of men fighting each other."
Context of the incident
The heavy police deployment followed the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event at the venue earlier on Saturday night. The clash involved ex-Rangers ultra Sean Weir and Leigh Cohoon, and was attended by disgraced former mixed martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor. Irishman Conor Cooke was supposed to be one of the headliners at the Hydro but pulled out at the last minute due to safety concerns over travelling fans. Cohoon, from Manchester, stepped in but was dealt a brutal blow to the face and finished off in the first round.
Police statement and appeal
Chief Inspector Paul Daley said: "Several officers were assaulted whilst carrying out their duties during disorder following an event at the Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday night. Violence against officers is disgraceful and will not be tolerated. Being assaulted is not part of the job and it's extremely fortunate they were not seriously injured."
He added: "Officers are carrying out extensive enquiries in relation to the disturbance which occurred and anyone found responsible will be brought to justice." He appealed for information, urging anyone with information to contact police on 101, quoting incident 2029 of November 7. Police said they continue to work closely with partners and event organisers to help maintain public safety and ensure events are safe for attendees and the local community.
