Undercover officers to track football thugs ahead of derby

The team of officers have been tasked with trailing Hibs and Hearts supporters in pubs and streets across the city.

The clampdown is part of the biggest policing operation planned for a derby game in the Capital in more than five years.

It follows violence between rival gangs of casuals after the 2-2 draw last month, where fighting erupted in Lothian Road and Fountain Park.

Police chiefs described the scenes as the "worst" football-related violence in 20 years. Now they have assigned 100 officers to handle tonight's match at Easter Road, which kicks off at 7.45pm, and its aftermath.

The move represents a 30 per increase on the usual police presence deployed for the clubs' clashes. Uniformed and undercover officers will continue to patrol the city until the early hours of tomorrow morning to curb any disorder. Licensees from pubs which could prove potential flashpoints have been asked to alert police if suspected thugs enter their premises.

Some officers will be armed with camcorders to capture hooligans on film in tactics first developed during the G8 protests in Edinburgh in 2004. Council CCTV operators will work with police to track the movements of troublemakers.

Detective Sergeant Steven Amabile, who will co-ordinate the massive operation from Gayfield Square police station, said: "Our net will be spread wide, from Easter Road to Gorgie, covering the city centre. But with the resources we have at our disposal, we'll be able to deal with any problems.

"We're expecting minimum disruption at the game, but we're prepared for any eventuality. Contingency plans are in place to cope, with a high-profile police presence at both the game and in central Edinburgh afterwards."

The police operation began at 9am this morning, with undercover officers sent out into the city to gauge the potential for trouble.

They were set to visit pubs and other venues throughout the day to gather intelligence on any thugs planning to take part in fighting.

DS Amabile added: "We've been talking to licensees to get them on board, as well as the city's licensing board. Plain-clothed officers will be visiting these establishments.

"I don't want to speculate about any pubs where there could be problems, but we have the resources to cover the whole city centre."

Around 60 hooligans fought running battles after the Edinburgh derby on October 15, with police making 14 arrests. In one incident outside the Uluru bar in Lothian Road, the pub's front window was smashed after a thug hurled a traffic cone through the glass. A gang of Hearts casuals had descended on the bar after learning that rival Hibs hooligans were drinking inside.

The gangs also clashed around the Fountain Bar in Fountainbridge. Hooligans hurled rubbish bins and traffic signs during some of the battles as police officers tried to keep the factions apart. A special police task force, codenamed Operation Agile, was set up to trace the casuals involved in violent clashes using CCTV images of the chaotic scenes.

DS Amabile said the team were still gathering intelligence before making their first arrest, but were making "significant progress" in identifying the thugs.

Dawn raids are expected to be used against the thugs once they are picked out from video footage. Senior officers are also working with both Hibs and Hearts ahead of tonight's game, which is a must-win for both teams.