Police preparing for a ‘tsunami’ of Old Firm violence
POLICE are on high alert amid fears of trouble at the first Old Firm game for three years.
Since 2012, the traditional Celtic-Rangers rivalry has been halted by the Ibrox club’s demotion to the lower tiers of Scottish football.
But now the clubs will face each other once again in the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup.
It is believed that more than 1,000 extra officers will be deployed.
A senior policeman has warned that the fixture – which will take place in front of 52,000 fans at Hampden on February 1 – could unleash a ‘tsunami’ of disorder across the country.
He said: ‘In the control room, you can actually watch the wave of impact spread across much of Scotland.
‘You get trouble in and around the stadium, then the calls start coming in from the wider Glasgow area, then it spreads out to Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire before spreading out to the other parts of the country.
‘It is like a wave going right across the country. It is like a tsunami.’
The source claimed the policing of the match and its aftermath would make or break the reputation of Scotland’s single police force.
He said: ‘This will be the first Old Firm game since Police Scotland was brought into existence and it will be seen as a major trial and a professional benchmark for them.
‘Can they cope with it? Can they deliver it safely? It will be hugely important for their reputation.
‘As such, there will a big turnout of officers, stretching into the thousands, right across the country.’
Brian Docherty, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, conceded that the return of the Glasgow derby was causing concern.
He said: ‘The history of the occasion speaks for itself and some of the fears have come back. That’s why some people are expressing concerns and asking, “Is it going to go back to the dark old days?” The obvious concern is the aftermath of the game. We are hoping the plans we have will ensure everybody who is going to the match is able to enjoy the football safely.
‘But anybody who steps out of line will be dealt with.’
Research at St Andrews University found domestic abuse almost doubled in the Strathclyde area in the wake of Old Firm matches.
A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: ‘We always have additional resources in place for Old Firm games, which can see a 20 per cent increase in 999 calls.’
Police Scotland declined to comment on how many officers would be deployed for the February 1 match and would only say that it would be policed ‘appropriately’.