Nicola Sturgeon blasts 'mindless thuggish behaviour' at Rangers v Celtic match

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has condemned the unsavoury scenes at Sunday’s Old Firm match at Ibrox.

The second half was delayed by five minutes as groundstaff cleared broken glass from a bottle thrown onto the pitch at the Copland Road end of the ground.

Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart alerted referee Willie Collum to the danger and the club revealed a member of Ange Postecoglou’s backroom staff had also been struck and required stitches.

“This sort of behaviour is not acceptable,” the First Minister said during an interview on LBC. “Whether at a football match or in the street, people throwing glass bottles is just not acceptable.

“It’s mindless, thuggish behaviour and it has no place in any civilised society.

“But these are matters for the authorities, obviously for the football authorities and potentially for the police and criminal justice authorities.

“Football should be something that people can take kids to and have a happy, joyful occasion.

“Behaviour like that whether it’s at an Old Firm match or any other football match besmirches that, and it should absolutely be seen as unacceptable.”

Rangers groundstaff inspect the pitch for glass after a bottle is thrown during a cinch Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on April 02, 2022, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Rangers' supporter liaison officer Greg Marshall confirmed the club is working with Police Scotland to identify the individual who threw the bottle at the interval.

At the time Celtic led the match 2-1 – a lead they would maintain in the second half to move six points clear of their city rivals in the cinch Premiership table.

Rangers had taken the lead through Aaron Ramsey after three minutes but Tom Rogic replied for the visitors a few minutes later. Cameron Carter-Vickers scored just before half-time with what proved to be the winner.

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