Scottish police described the behavior of some fans as “disgraceful” and said arrests had been made following clashes at the end of the Scottish Cup quarter-final between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox.
Chief superintendent Kate Stephen said: “The behavior of a number of fans at the Scottish Cup quarter-final match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox today was disgraceful. “It must be condemned by everyone involved in football and wider society.
“A number of arrests have already been made and Police Scotland will now work with both clubs and the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to carry out a thorough investigation following the scenes on the pitch after the match.”
“Officers and stewards faced extreme hostility and violence over a prolonged period, and many people armed themselves with items clearly intended to cause harm. “Officers and members of the public were injured in this despicable display, and I would like to express my gratitude to all officers and staff deployed.
“The investigation will also include the actions of some fans who entered the Broomloan Road stand without tickets before the match began, leading to delays in the security operation and the closure of the turnstiles for a period of time.
“I would also urge anyone with information about who was involved in disturbances before, during or after the match to contact Police Scotland on 101.”
Celtic won the tie 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw, with dozens of visiting fans invading the pitch following the visitors’ winning penalty. That sparked an invasion by hundreds of Rangers fans, with police and hostesses moving to form a barrier on the pitch.
There were 7,500 away fans at Ibrox for the match, with Celtic supporters receiving a full allocation of the Broomloan Road Stand for the first time since 2018, when it was first reduced to under 1,000 tickets.
