FINALLY, as the vaccine programme successfully rolls out, we can see an end in sight to this pandemic.

This surge of hope that we will be able to return to normal life, to hug loved ones, to travel and dance and enjoy each other in person, comes as the first buds of spring start pushing through.

It feels hopeful.

In the centre of George Square, in the centre of the city, the Sir Walter Scott column was surrounded on Sunday morning by these little flowers.

All four sides of the column were surrounded by bright colours.

By Sunday night nothing was left but mud.

The feet of hundreds of football hooligans had trampled over them, destroying every living plant growing there.

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Mindless, brutal destruction.

And with it, mindless destruction of the hope that our route out of lockdown might accelerate as people watching Rangers fans in George Square felt horror that they might be spreading coronavirus among each before taking it across the city and beyond.

Glasgow's civic heart is well used to scenes of celebration and commiseration.

It is well used to jubilation, protest and violence.

Rangers fans celebrate in George Square after Rangers win the Scottish Premiership title. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Rangers fans celebrate in George Square after Rangers win the Scottish Premiership title. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Last June I was in George Square when groups of protestors gathered against coronavirus rules to "protect statues".

I put that in quote marks because, let's be honest, does anyone really know why they were really there? Did they know?

Other than their mindless thirst for violence.

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests and damage caused to statues in England, large groups of loyalists and what the police call "football risk groups"headed down to the city centre to make a fuss about guarding statues that weren't under attack.

I wonder if any of the same chaps - and it was predominantly, but not exclusively, men - were present on Sunday when memorial benches in the square were smashed and broken, the plaques honouring loved ones treated disgracefully.

I was also at George Square when the bin lorry went past and I saw the devastation the truck left in its wake.

One of those killed was Jacqueline Morton, whose family have memorialised her with a bench where passers-by can rest and reflect.

It, too, was smashed by these thugs and I hope, in the cold light of day, they are utterly ashamed of themselves.

Imagine the family's distress that this gift to the city in Jacqueline's name was, along with memorials to the loved ones of other families, left shattered.

You cannot have missed the scenes on Sunday as Rangers secured the Title 55 win.

It was no surprise that fans gathered at Ibrox and George Square - we saw it coming a mile off. People are frustrated and fed up of lockdown rules. They are delighted at their club's win.

But Sunday was something else. It was bizarre to see so much blatant law breaking - public drinking, fireworks being set off in the middle of the crowd, coronavirus laws flouted - and have the police stand by.

Police Scotland's argument is that intervention would have made things worse and could have triggered a riot. Fair enough, but cops shouldn't have been taking selfies with Rangers fans, nor fist and elbow bumping them.

The lack of police movement was clearly seen as a green light to the increasing number of Rangers fans who headed to George Square as the day went on.

As the damage was surveyed, the blame game got well underway.

The Depute First Minister criticised Rangers for not doing enough to stop its fans dreadful behaviour.

Police Scotland joined in with the condemnation of the club.

Rangers has written to Nicola Sturgeon to tell the First Minister of the club's anger at comments from the government about its silence over fans gathering.

It says it liaised with Police Scotland and the Scottish Government over how to manage fans and cut down on gatherings but said the conversations fell silent.

Some Rangers fans watching pointed to Celtic and its fans' behaviour last year when Parkhead supporters also gathered against public advice.

There is no point in pointing the finger - two wrongs do not make a right. Though there are plenty of pictures of those taking part in this reckless behaviour. Each one deserves a season's ban from Ibrox.

If you went down to a party on Sunday, you're a disgrace.

A disgrace to your club and a disgrace to your city.

You've brought shame to what should have been a positive celebration for your club and you've brought shame to every decent Rangers fan.