The Tartan Army have brought one of Glasgow's most beloved traditions to Boston, placing a traffic cone on a statue of Robert Burns. The stunt, captured on TikTok, has gone viral with thousands of views.
Scottish Fans Continue to Make Headlines
Scotland supporters have already made waves during their World Cup stay in the United States, from singing in the streets to taking over baseball games. Now, they have turned their attention to Boston's statues, with traffic cones appearing on monuments across the city.
With several days between Scotland's opening 1-0 victory over Haiti and their second Group C match against Morocco on June 19, the travelling support have been keeping themselves busy.
The Viral TikTok Clip
The latest clip, posted by TikTok user @rsullivan1991, shows one supporter targeting a statue of Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns. The video has racked up more than 38,700 views and over 2,000 likes within just a few hours of being posted.
The video was captioned: "We heard Quincy had a Statue that hadn't been found, we found you Rabbie Burns."
In the clip, a Scotland fan dressed in a national team shirt and kilt climbs onto the statue while his friend behind the camera shouts: "It's Rabbie Burns." The supporter then gives the statue a kiss before declaring: "Love you bro," as he attempts to place a traffic cone on top of Burns' head. Encouraged by his pal filming the stunt, he eventually succeeds before jokingly apologising.
"Sorry Rabbie," he says, before giving the statue another kiss and climbing back down. The clip ends with the pair proudly posing in front of the monument, with the now-coned Burns statue standing behind them.
A Glasgow Tradition Crosses the Atlantic
The stunt is instantly recognisable to many Scots, with the Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow sporting a traffic cone on its head for decades. The tradition is believed to have started with late night revellers in the 1980s and has since become one of the city's most famous unofficial landmarks.
Numerous attempts have been made over the years to remove the cone permanently, but each time it has quickly reappeared. For many Glaswegians it has become a symbol of the city's strong sense of humour.
American Fans Embrace the Shenanigans
American social media users have also embraced the tradition since the Tartan Army showed up in Boston for the World Cup, with many rushing to the comment section of the TikTok to share their amusement.
One viewer wrote: "I was in Boston yesterday and saw cones on so many statues. I love it!!!!" As another commented: "Get it. we the people stand for your shenanigans and fully support this."
Another American user penned: "Ah wondered how long it would take for Rabbie to be coned!!"
One American suggested the cones should remain in place as a lasting reminder of the Scottish fans' visit and the atmosphere they have created during their time in the city.
They wrote: "I think we should let them there after everyone goes home...so we never forget the fun and love you brought to the USA! May we always treasure the memories and Go Scotland!!! ps...next time we'll order more beer."
