Outrage as Hearts FC crest at Haymarket war memorial damaged by corrosive fluid

Mystery surrounds the damage to a Heart of Midlothian crest at the foot of a historic First World War memorial as fans express outrage over what many fear is a deliberate attack.

A paving slab featuring the Hearts FC crest at the base of the Haymarket War Memorial was found doused in brake fluid, though it remains unconfirmed whether the incident was criminal vandalism or an accident.

Local taxi driver Derek Scott posted an image to Facebook of a worker attending to the damaged crest. Branding the incident "utter scandalous", Mr Scott added that after speaking with a worker at the scene, he feared the memorial badge "might have to get replaced".

The incident, which is understood to have taken place on Thursday afternoon, has prompted widespread anger online.

Responding to Derek’s post, Keith Brown said: “I am beyond apoplectic with rage at this. The master stonemason who oversaw the rebuilding is a Hibs fan, and he was deeply honoured to be involved.”

Some have speculated that it may have been a targeted attack, coming in the wake of Hearts' victory in last Sunday's Edinburgh Derby and with the club sitting top of the league in May for the first time in decades.

Condemning the "despicable behaviour", one commenter added: "Shame on them."

Another wrote: “Take the [Hearts] team to see it. Use it to galvanise them, as to what it all means.”

Jack Alexander, Vice-Chairman of the McCrae's Battalion Trust, expressed his profound disappointment but was keen not to speculate on the motives until all the facts have been established.

The crest which lies below the memorial has been allegedly damaged | Submitted

“We don't really know what's happened yet," Mr Alexander said. "We don't know who the perpetrator or perpetrators are, so it is a little unwise to say too much."

Highlighting the Trust's direct connection to the site's renovations, as part of the Maroon Mile project in 2024, he added: “We were deeply involved in the replacement of the paving around there. The architect and myself were the ones that actually designed all that stuff around the memorial. So from a personal point of view, it's extremely disappointing."

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues at the Trust, Mr Alexander said they would await an investigation to bring the perpetrators to light, stressing that "that sort of thing can't just be allowed to happen".

He emphasised that the monument serves as a vital focal point for the wider public, not just football supporters, noting that the Trust would feel "exactly the same way" if a Hibernian FC memorial had been targeted.

This cross-city solidarity was echoed on social media by Hibs supporter Andy Gibson, who commented: "I, as a Hibby, find this totally reprehensible. These men didn't fight for team or colours. They fought and died for the freedom (which low-lives abuse) we have today."

Mr Alexander continued: "People come there to remember their own relatives and their own dead. It's a community memorial for everybody in the west of Edinburgh. And it's a terrible thing that somebody feels they could just go and do something to it."

Despite the damage, he reassured supporters that replacing the crest would not be an issue if required. "I doubt if there's going to be any problems in finding enough money to replace the crest," he said. "If we had to replace it, we would replace it."

The City of Edinburgh Council has confirmed the nature of the substance and stated that clean-up operations would be carried out to clear the mess.

Brake fluid can be highly corrosive upon contact with certain types of stone. If not removed promptly, the liquid can rapidly soak into the microscopic pores of the masonry, leaving a dark, oily, and incredibly stubborn stain that is difficult to extract.

Speaking to the Evening News, a stone mason from Marionville Masonry explained how the fluid interacts with the paving slab.

They warned: "It's damaging the stone. It's absorbed into the stone so it's going to damage it, it's going to make the stone porous, more brittle".

They suggested the crest could potentially be treated using specialist stone-cleaning products that could help bring the oil to the surface.

The Haymarket clock was unveiled before a crowd of 40,000 in 1922 to honour the club’s members who joined the 16th Battalion Royal Scots - widely known as Sir George McCrae’s battalion - in 1914. The original ceremony was conducted by the then-Secretary of State for Scotland, Robert Munro.

Today, it remains the site of Heart of Midlothian Football Club’s annual remembrance service, paying tribute to the club’s players, members, and fans who lost their lives in both world wars.

The historic monument underwent upgrades in 2024 as part of the Maroon Mile Project, which saw the addition of a boundary inscribed with quotes.

It remains unconfirmed whether the damage was a deliberate attack.

The Evening News has approached Hearts FC and Police Scotland for comment.