Glasgow MSP brands Celtic title party damage 'unacceptable'

Damage caused by the fans was branded “unacceptable” by city chiefs after bus stops and traffic lights at Glasgow Cross were smashed by unruly fans.  

Four police officers were injured in the ‘disorder’ that broke out at the unofficial street party, with Police Scotland also reporting 19 arrests. The four injured officers required medical treatment. Police have said they will work to find those responsible.  

Speaking on BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Monday, Labour MSP for Glasgow Paul Sweeney has branded the costs of the clean-up and damage as ‘unacceptable’ while calling for future title parties to be ‘formalised’ to limit the damaging effects caused by fans celebrating.

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He said: “I think we’ve now seen this become a regular phenomenon over the last four years, especially since the lockdowns, that large street gatherings are becoming the norm in Glasgow when one of the teams in the city wins the premiership.

“I think Celtic directors have had informal conversations with people in Glasgow City Council in recent weeks about the prospect of this happening again.

“It seems as if there could be more progress made about formalising these events. For example, Arsenal had liaised with Islington Council to create a formal parade, which would have been cordoned off properly and managed properly.

“I think Glasgow needs to lean into this a bit more and formalise these events. We’re seeing on each occasion between £30k-£90k worth of damage, vandalism, and clean-up costs.

“It’s an unacceptable cost to the city and we need to try and manage it a bit more appropriately.

“I think it would be a far more efficient and effective way of managing the celebrations. We could actually cordon off appropriate areas. So, if you were bringing the team into Glasgow Green on a proper stage that would be a very different type of event.

"You could manage it with the proper facilities like toilets and bars and have it done right. Like we would do for other events like the recent Cycling Championships and even the Euro screenings a few years ago.

“So, there are ways we can better manage this, and recognise that the combined contribution of Celtic and Rangers to Glasgow is hundreds of millions of pounds per year, it’s a huge economic boost. So, lets try and limit the damaging effects, it’s not good enough to simply step back and put our heads in the sand.

“We now need to recognise that, after four years of these types of celebrations happening in Glasgow, it has become an established event almost.

“So, lets try and work with the clubs and the fans to coordinate it and run it properly, like we see in London.”

A Glasgow city council spokesman said as crowds dispersed in the early hours of Sunday morning, a "substantial" amount of litter, debris and broken glass was left in the area surrounding Glasgow Cross. 

An overnight clean-up operation was put in place to clear the debris, with pavements strewn with empty boxes, bottles and cans, as workers got the area ready for the Cancer Research UK Race for Life on Sunday.

Police had earlier closed off roads into the area as part of a “proportionate” response to the large gathering.  

The Council spokesman said: “After an exceptional clean-up effort by our teams overnight, the area is now clear – including the course for the Cancer Research UK Race for Life.

“There has been damage to infrastructure such as bus stops and traffic signals, but we do not yet know the full extent of what repairs will be necessary. 

“This kind of damage, disruption and antisocial behaviour remains unacceptable. It should be possible to celebrate and show a basic level of consideration for others in the city at the same time.”