Violence broke out following the latest Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers after supporters from both sides invaded the pitch at Ibrox.
The incident occurred after Celtic secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup with a 4-2 win on penalties.
Celebrations initially saw Celtic supporters enter the field before Rangers fans also moved onto the pitch, leading to clashes between the two groups.
Flares were thrown during the confrontation while police officers and stewards formed a barrier in an attempt to separate the opposing sets of supporters. Several arrests were made following what Police Scotland described as “despicable” scenes.
Chief Superintendent Kate Stephen strongly condemned the behaviour of those involved.
“A number of arrests have already been made, and Police Scotland will now work with both clubs and the Scottish Football Association to carry out a robust investigation following the scenes on the pitch at the conclusion of the match.”
“Officers and stewards were faced with extreme hostility and violence over a sustained period, with many individuals having armed themselves with items clearly intended to cause harm.”
“Officers and members of the public have been injured in this despicable display and I want to express my thanks to all officers and staff deployed.”
The match marked the first time since 2018 that Celtic supporters had been allocated the full Broomloan Road Stand at Ibrox. Away allocations between the clubs have fluctuated significantly in recent years following a series of disputes over ticket numbers.
Police also confirmed that some supporters had entered the stand without tickets, which caused delays to security procedures as turnstiles were temporarily closed.
The Scottish Football Association condemned the pitch invasion and confirmed that an investigation would begin immediately.
At present, Football Banning Orders can be imposed on supporters involved in violence or disorder, preventing them from attending matches anywhere in the UK for up to ten years.
Neither club has issued an official statement regarding the incident.
After the match, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill avoided addressing the issue in detail.
“You’re asking me a lot of political questions in this moment when I’m in a euphoric state,” he said.
“The fans have spilled over, big scenes at the end, all over the place. I’m not diminishing it at all, I will have a think about it and speak to you in due course.”
