Celtic-Rangers League Cup final chaos update as four charged in connection with Glasgow mayhem
FOUR men have been charged in connection with violent scenes which broke out ahead of the Old Firm League Cup clash in December. Violence erupted on Glasgow’s city centre ahead of the Rangers v Celtic game which saw the Hoops clinch the cup in a nail biting penalty shoot-out. Members of the Green Brigade march down Argyle Street on December 15, last year Pyros were let off during the violent scenes between Rangers and Celtic fans However the excitement of the December 15 game was already marred by horror scenes in the city’s Argyle Street before the match when gangs of Rangers and Celtic yobs rampaged in the city. We told how Christmas shoppers were left terrified as masked ultras wearing Santa hats threw pyros and confronted cops in the city centre before the Celtic-Rangers Premier Sports Cup Final at Hampden. One officer was allegedly struck in the eye by a glass bottle while a 26-year-old fan was said to have been badly hurt as Green Brigade and Union Bears thugs faced-off. Revellers dodged a lit flare hurled inside Celtic fan favourite pub Gallagher’s, while horrified women and kids watched as thugs in balaclavas charged their rivals. Police had been hunting 19 people involved in the violence and today confirmed four men, aged 23, 26, 27 and 28, were arrested from the Glasgow and South Lanarkshire areas. All four suspects are all being held in Police custody and are due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday, 10 February. Reports will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. A Police Scotland spokesperson stated: “This is an ongoing operation and enquiries are ongoing to identify and trace those involved in the disorder. “I urge anyone who has any information that could assist our investigation to please attend at a local police station or contact us via 101.” The arrests come as Celtic managed to avoid a predicted away fan ban for the Champion’s League play-off round tie against Bayern Munich. The Hoops have a suspended one-match ban hanging over them over the use of pyrotechnics, which was assumed would be initiated after a fan threw a green smoke bomb onto the pitch during the defeat to Aston Villa. However in a shock move Uefa opted for just a 10,000 Euro fine, meaning that Celtic fans will be allowed to attend the huge clash against the German giants at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday. However the club reminded fans that the suspended one-match ban remains in place and any future pyrotechnics events would leave an “extremely high risk” of it being triggered down the line. The Club added: “Again we must make it very clear that pyrotechnics have absolutely no place at our matches and should further incidents occur, then clearly, once again, there is an extremely high risk of our supporters not being permitted access to future matches.”
FOUR men have been charged in connection with violent scenes which broke out ahead of the Old Firm League Cup clash in December.
Violence erupted on Glasgow’s city centre ahead of the Rangers v Celtic game which saw the Hoops clinch the cup in a nail biting penalty shoot-out.
However the excitement of the December 15 game was already marred by horror scenes in the city’s Argyle Street before the match when gangs of Rangers and Celtic yobs rampaged in the city.
We told how Christmas shoppers were left terrified as masked ultras wearing Santa hats threw pyros and confronted cops in the city centre before the Celtic-Rangers Premier Sports Cup Final at Hampden.
One officer was allegedly struck in the eye by a glass bottle while a 26-year-old fan was said to have been badly hurt as Green Brigade and Union Bears thugs faced-off.
Revellers dodged a lit flare hurled inside Celtic fan favourite pub Gallagher’s, while horrified women and kids watched as thugs in balaclavas charged their rivals.
Police had been hunting 19 people involved in the violence and today confirmed four men, aged 23, 26, 27 and 28, were arrested from the Glasgow and South Lanarkshire areas.
All four suspects are all being held in Police custody and are due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday, 10 February.
Reports will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
A Police Scotland spokesperson stated: “This is an ongoing operation and enquiries are ongoing to identify and trace those involved in the disorder.
“I urge anyone who has any information that could assist our investigation to please attend at a local police station or contact us via 101.”
The arrests come as Celtic managed to avoid a predicted away fan ban for the Champion’s League play-off round tie against Bayern Munich.
The Hoops have a suspended one-match ban hanging over them over the use of pyrotechnics, which was assumed would be initiated after a fan threw a green smoke bomb onto the pitch during the defeat to Aston Villa.
However in a shock move Uefa opted for just a 10,000 Euro fine, meaning that Celtic fans will be allowed to attend the huge clash against the German giants at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
However the club reminded fans that the suspended one-match ban remains in place and any future pyrotechnics events would leave an “extremely high risk” of it being triggered down the line.
The Club added: “Again we must make it very clear that pyrotechnics have absolutely no place at our matches and should further incidents occur, then clearly, once again, there is an extremely high risk of our supporters not being permitted access to future matches.”
