Rangers fans’ £11k bill for damage at title celebrations
Council to issue invoice for city chaos
RANGERS fans who raised funds to pay for damage to Glasgow city centre after lockdown-busting title celebrations will be asked to pay an £11,000 bill, Glasgow City Council has revealed.
The cost includes more than £4000 to repair and replace memorial benches wrecked in George Square.
A further £4000 is needed to replant flower beds.
The bill was revealed amid fears of more disruption at next Sunday’s Old Firm game.
The city council said damage to lawns at the eastern end of the square amounted to almost £3000, while bedding plants to the value of nearly £500 are also required.
Glasgow City Council will this week send the bill, which stands at £11,407 so far, to a publican who organised an online fundraiser to cover the cost of damage to the memorial benches.
Fans gathered in the square, as well as at Ibrox stadium, following
Celtic’s failure to beat Dundee United last Sunday, which meant Rangers won their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years.
The supporters were criticised for flouting lockdown. Robert Marshall, who runs The Louden Tavern, set a target of £5500 but £9850 had been raised by Friday.
The council said yesterday: “Mr Marshall took no part in the events of last weekend and this week he said if Rangers fans had been responsible for the damage, then Rangers fans should pay for it. We’ll be issuing an invoice to him next week.”
Police made 28 arrests and seven people were issued with fixed penalty notices or would be reported to the fiscal.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney branded the scenes “an absolute disgrace”.
At the weekend, both Rangers and Celtic told fans to stay home for the Old Firm clash.