Scotland's deputy first minister calls Rangers fans' celebrations 'shameful'
The fallout from celebrations of Rangers’ Scottish title win has continued after the country’s deputy first minister joined Police Scotland in taking aim at both the club and supporters after mass public gatherings in Glasgow.
Supporters gathered at Ibrox before and after Rangers’ 3-0 win over St Mirren on Saturday. A day later, as the championship was confirmed by Celtic’s failure to win at Dundee United, fans descended on both Ibrox and
George Square in Glasgow city centre. Police Scotland say they made 28 arrests on Sunday for cases including assault of officers.
Malcolm Graham, Police Scotland’s deputy chief constable, said: “The behaviour which we saw at the weekend was disgraceful and I utterly condemn the
individuals who chose to completely disregard the coronavirus regulations, putting both the wider community and our officers at risk. I also strongly condemn the lack of support from Rangers Football Club over the messages we repeatedly asked them to put out to persuade fans not to go out celebrating and encourage those who did gather in large numbers to return home.”
He added: “It was very clear through the lack of messaging that Rangers did not take seriously their responsibilities in terms of seeking to persuade their fans to celebrate safely and responsibly.”
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, had already castigated the weekend’s events before her deputy, John Swinney, was equally critical. “The behaviour of some fans has been an absolute disgrace and has undoubtedly cast a shadow over what should have been a special day for the team,” the deputy first minister said. “To see so many people deliberately flouting rules with no regard for the safety of others is shameful.”
Turning his attention towards
Rangers themselves, Swinney added: “There should have been sustained messaging from Rangers throughout the weekend. That would have given a very clear signal from the leadership of the club.”
Explaining his belief there had been “deafening silence” from the Rangers executive, Swinney said: “I think it would have been the duty of Rangers to say clearly and simply to fans that they should not come out to celebrate.”
Shortly before Swinney took to the podium for a routine Covid briefing, Rangers issued footage from the manager Steven Gerrard’s pre- and postmatch press conferences around the St Mirren fixture. He stated: “We all have to abide by government rules” while adding the situation was “out of my control.” The manager added: “People have to understand the situation our supporters are in, what they have been through. The priority is that the fans stay safe.”
Tannoy announcements around Ibrox on Saturday urged fans to disperse. However, Gerrard and some players greeted supporters from dressingroom windows shortly after the team celebrated behind a stadium gate.
In a statement, Rangers said: “We reiterate the message from our manager, Steven Gerrard, who highlighted that fans should adhere to government guidelines – stay safe, socially distance and look after each other in this difficult time.
“We are aware there is the possibility of more, significant milestones within this season, and we will continue to proactively engage with key stakeholders to maintain a cohesive message in relation to government guidance at this present time.”