The police officer leading the investigation into Sunday's violent scenes at the Old Firm derby has described the large away allocation as 'not sustainable' and 'not safe'. Chief Superintendent Emma Croft said the presence of around 7,500 Celtic fans at Ibrox for the first time since 2018 contributed to the disorder, which left several police officers, stewards and members of the public injured.
Dozens of Celtic supporters spilled onto the pitch after their Scottish Cup quarter-final penalty shootout win, while more than 100 Rangers fans also invaded and charged towards the Broomloan Stand. Nine arrests were made within 24 hours, with 'significantly' more expected. Graffiti referencing the 1971 Ibrox disaster, in which 66 Rangers fans died, was left in the away section.
First Minister John Swinney condemned the violence as 'completely and utterly unacceptable', warning that pyrotechnics used by pitch invaders 'exaggerates and escalates that level of danger'. He called for talks with clubs and the Scottish Football Association to prevent a repeat. Stuart Murphy of the Scottish Football Supporters Association expressed anger on behalf of decent fans, saying '45 years on, we've not moved on' from the 1980 Scottish Cup final pitch invasion.
Recent away allocations have varied from 750 to 2,500, but Sunday's match saw a return to a larger allocation under Scottish Cup rules allowing up to 20% of tickets. Croft said the large away presence was a 'new experience for many people' and called for 'realistic conversations' about balancing the football experience with safety.
