A Scotland fan learned the hard way that Miami police are not as tolerant as their Boston counterparts after attempting to crown a statue with a traffic cone. The incident, captured on video and circulating online, shows a supporter in a Scotland strip placing a cone on the head of a statue of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León in downtown Miami.
Almost immediately, loud beeping and tooting from a nearby police car interrupted the act. Shouts of "get off of there!" were heard as an officer emerged from the vehicle. The dejected fan, complying with police orders, removed the cone and stepped down, telling onlookers, "They're obviously not Boston." A fellow Scot in the background remarked, "Surely they'll lighten up."
Contrast with Boston Police
The Tartan Army, numbering around 50,000, had earlier congregated in Boston for Scotland's opening World Cup matches against Haiti and Morocco. There, they were met with warmth and good humour from local police, who participated in keepy-uppies at the FIFA Fan Zone and even attempted to play the bagpipes. The contrast with Miami's response was stark.
The social media user who shared the video wrote, "Just a heads up, the police are way less chill here. He then came over losing his s***. I think he's gonna have a long week." The comment section largely sided with the fan, with one individual writing, "No, they are not Boston! They are not fun people! Tell them to lighten up!" Another added, "Oh BOOO Miami police! Chill out!"
Tradition of Coning Statues
The tradition of placing traffic cones on statues is well-known in Scotland, particularly in Glasgow, where the Duke of Wellington statue outside the Gallery of Modern Art has been capped with a cone for decades. The practice, believed to have been started by late-night revellers in the 1980s, is seen by locals as a symbol of Glaswegian humour. Attempts to remove the cone have been quickly thwarted, with it being replaced within days.
One commenter on the video noted, "Understandable that our police have to deal with a lot of c*** in public, but we as a nation need to recognise harmless fun. This is an endearment from World Cup fans." Another tagged Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, saying, "Tell the Miami police to chill out and let the good times roll with the Tartan Army. Sincerely, all Florida residents. #ConeTheStatues."
Upcoming Match Against Brazil
More Scotland fans have started arriving in Florida ahead of the third World Cup game against Brazil on Wednesday. The incident has highlighted the differing attitudes between the two host cities, with many hoping Miami police will adopt a more lenient approach as the tournament continues.
