Nicola Sturgeon has condemned the “infuriating and disgraceful” celebrations in Glasgow after thousands of fans flouted coronavirus lockdown to gather in the streets and celebrate Rangers winning the Scottish Premiership.
The mass gatherings yesterday have been widely condemned, with the First Minister warning that the celebrations could jeopardise plans to ease Covid lockdowns.
Last night the First Minister, Scotland’s Justice Secretary and police chiefs urged rule-breakers to go home, but pleas went unheeded with fans packed into George Square and congregating outside Ibrox stadium.
Shortly after 5pm, Police Scotland said a “small number” of arrests have been made and officers at the scene have been attempting to encourage fans to return home.
By 9.30pm, police officers had encircled a depleting group of fans at the base of the Scott monument and the force revealed more arrests had been made and fines issued.
Fans flouted coronavirus restrictions
Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “I share folks’ anger at this.
“Everyone has made so many sacrifices in the past year and seeing a minority risk our progress is infuriating and disgraceful.
“It is deeply unfair to the entire country, and the police have a hard enough job already.
“Please ask fans to go home @RangersFC”.
I share folks’ anger at this. Everyone has made so many sacrifices in the past year & seeing a minority risk our progress is infuriating & disgraceful. It is deeply unfair to the entire country, and the police have a hard enough job already. Please ask fans to go home @RangersFC https://t.co/haH5DAzhIh
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) March 7, 2021
The club have tweeted or retweeted 52 times in the six hours since they were crowned champions, but not addressed the mass gathering of fans.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf also asked fans to stay at home.
READ MORE: Video — Ibrox and George Square see thousands of Rangers fans flout Covid lockdown
He wrote on Twitter: “I understand Rangers fans will be desperate to celebrate but please remember you must stay at home.
“No mass gatherings are allowed. We cannot risk any further spread of the virus.”
Mr Yousaf warned that “Uefa will also be paying close attention as the Euros are around the corner”.
Hampden Park in Glasgow is due to host some games of the delayed 2020 European Championships in the summer.
The fans satyed past nightfall
Shortly before 9pm, Police Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland, divisional commander for the Greater Glasgow Division, urged people to “consider the public health impact of this gathering” and told fans not to travel into the city.
READ MORE: Irresponsible title celebrations will have dire consequences for Scottish football in fight against Covid-19
Mr Sutherland said: “We are continuing to police the ongoing gathering of football supporters in George Square today.
“Officers have continued to move to enforcement where appropriate with a number of further arrests and additional fixed penalty notices for breaches of the coronavirus restrictions, minor incidents of disorder and the use of pyrotechnic devices.
“We are now asking people to disperse and make their way home.
“For those not in attendance, please do not make your way to Glasgow city centre.”
Alan Irvine, 43, from Glasgow, was out celebrating with his daughter Katie, 12, and son Lewis, six.
“The atmosphere when Steven Gerrard appeared was amazing,” Mr Irvine told the PA news agency. “He has now achieved a God-like status.
“This is the first title win of Lewis’s life and the first that Katie can remember as she was only a baby the last time. It was an amazing experience to see my children enjoy the success I experienced when I was a young Rangers supporter.
“As for any criticism, then I can only speak from what I have seen outside the Rangers training centre, and the absolute majority were wearing face coverings and adhering, as much as possible, to social distancing. In fact, I’ve seen less social distancing in some retailers.”
Darryl Mclean, a 34-year-old logistics manager from Glasgow, added: “I’m outside Ibrox stadium, thousands of people here.
“It’s very emotional, as fans we have been to hell and back, watching greedy directors out for themselves, been taken to the brink of extinction.
“But we stood firm and supported the club through thick and thin.
READ MORE: Rangers Title 55 — Should fans have gathered at George Square and Ibrox?
“I know we are not meant to be meeting outside at the moment but the occasion was just too momentous, it’s like Christmas for Rangers!”
Following Rangers’ victory on Saturday, fans broke coronavirus lockdown rules as they gathered in numbers outside Ibrox setting off flares.
David Hamilton, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said he was "appalled" by the scenes.
He also told the BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that officers, many of whom have not been vaccinated, were put in "jeopardy" by the supporters' actions.
Mr Hamilton said he understood why people were frustrated by the Police Scotland response but said that was an operational matter for the force, which would have considered factors such as wider public order issues and road safety.
He highlighted that it can take up to 20 minutes to issue a fixed penalty fine for breaches of the Covid restrictions.
Mr Hamilton said: "If we were to ticket everybody in George Square yesterday we would still be doing it just now."
But he also criticised the club for being "silent" and failing to address the mass gatherings on its social media accounts.
He added: "There is a responsibility to the club here. It should not take the government to have to ask the club to tell people to go home.
"That should have been something the club should have taken on themselves proactively."
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