Police probe Rangers fan ‘spitting at Hibs boy’

A YOUNG Hibs fan was allegedly spat on by a Rangers supporter before Sunday’s league clash at Easter Road.
The boy is said to have been spat at on Easter Road. Picture: Jayne WrightThe boy is said to have been spat at on Easter Road. Picture: Jayne Wright
The boy is said to have been spat at on Easter Road. Picture: Jayne Wright

Police are investigating the incident, which saw the travelling fan launch the attack from inside a supporters’ bus.

It occurred as thousands of fans were making their way into the stadium at around 12.20pm on Sunday.

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Hibs went on to win the game 2-1 to narrow the gap at the top of the Championship to five points.

Jason Cummings celebrates his goal in Sunday's win over Rangers. Picture: Ian GeorgesonJason Cummings celebrates his goal in Sunday's win over Rangers. Picture: Ian Georgeson
Jason Cummings celebrates his goal in Sunday's win over Rangers. Picture: Ian Georgeson

A man believed to be the boy’s father was then filmed trying to prevent the supporters’ bus from travelling up Easter Road in an attempt to force the driver to stop until police arrived.

The dad reportedly said: “We had just left the pub down the road and we were going up Easter Road just about to turn into Albion Road. I was chatting with my son when we noticed the bus pull up.

“They were all banging on the windows but then the door opened and we kind of thought ‘what on earth is going to happen here?’.

“I saw that a guy spat out the bus and after we’d walked a few more steps my son said, ‘Dad, that spit hit me’. It was on his coat.

“I looked around for a policeman and there was absolutely none.

“We walked to the junction at the traffic lights and could see a van about 200 yards up the road. My dad said he’d go and get them.

“The bus was stopped at the lights so I went to the front of the bus and I went to the driver’s side.

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“I was trying to shout through the window ‘Can you stop? The police are coming’. But he was just shaking his head at me.

“Then, as you can see in the video, he starts to move very slowly at first while I’m still shouting at him to stop for the police but then he accelerates.

“I phoned the police after the game and they took a report.”

Chief Inspector Richard Horan of Police Scotland said an investigation was under way.

He said the spitting incident had led to ugly scenes between rival fans on Easter Road as they headed to the match.

And he insisted that police were working hard to identify the Rangers fan suspected of spitting at the 12-year-old Hibs supporter.

He said: “We are currently investigating a report of a crime that involved a small number of fans ahead of Sunday’s match between Hibernian and Rangers.

“Shortly before 12.20pm an unknown male, who it is believed had been travelling on a Rangers supporters’ bus, spat on a young Hibernian fan as he walked on Easter Road.

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“This then led to a confrontation between fans on the street and those within the bus.

“Our inquiries into the full set of circumstances are

ongoing, however I would like to reassure the public that we will robustly investigate this incident to identify the offender.”

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