Scots and Bostonians alike expressed disappointment and amusement after the Boston Fire Department removed a traffic cone from the Samuel Adams statue in Boston, using a fire truck ladder—a stark contrast to the method used by Scots who originally placed it. Videos on social media show the fire department being booed by onlookers as they retrieved the cone, which had been placed during Scotland's World Cup celebrations.
Scots' Simple Climb vs. Fire Truck Ladder
Earlier clips show Scots attempting to place the cone on the statue by tossing it in the air, and when that failed, one man climbed the base with help from friends, cheered on by the Tartan Army. One video comment read: "Boston F. D. need a ladder and fire truck to get up there, yet a kilted drunk Scotsman didn't need any help." Another joked: "A drunk Scotsman climbs up and puts up a cone. We have to use a fire truck to get it down."
Public Reaction and Calls for Reinstatement
Many questioned the need for removal, with one Facebook viewer calling the fire department "lazy" and noting Scots climbed statues to put cones on. Scots sent a plea: "People of Boston, get that cone back on there." One commenter added: "You realise that anyone of Scottish heritage will have that back on the statue by tonight." Others said: "What's the harm in leaving it? We like it!!!" and "Should have left them up until the end of the World Cup!"
Tradition Spreads to Other Statues
During the Scots' time in Boston, other statues also received the cone treatment, including Robert Burns, the Arms of Friendship at Charlestown Navy Yard, and former mayor Kevin White. The cone stunt is a well-known tradition in Scotland, particularly in Glasgow, where the Duke of Wellington statue has sported cones since the 1980s, becoming an unofficial landmark.
