Police Scotland’s Chief Constable calls for organised title celebrations | OneFootball

Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell has called for ORGANISED events for football title winning celebrations after the large gathering of Celtic supporters last weekend after Celtic collected the Scottish Premiership trophy…

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The Police made 20 arrested for a range of offences including assault and letting off pyrotechnics. Ms Farrell also emphasised that only a small minority were involved in the disorder with the vast majority of supporters at the event that SNP led Glasgow City Council were well aware was happening but refused point blank to put any kind of facilities in place, or better still do as The Celtic Star called for and organise a fan zone in Glasgow Green which would have the necessary facilities including bins and toilets.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Speaking at a Scottish Police Authority board meeting, she said that there would need to be co-operation from the clubs and the Scottish Football Association for an official event.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025. Photo  Vagelis Georgariou

“We need to bring some control and some safety controls to these celebrations,” Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell said as reported by BBC. “The ideal is that we move to a position, in due course, where there is some organisation around these celebrations so that we can put in the right controls around safety and security.”

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Ms Farrell reported that 320 of her officers were involved in the response at the weekend, who could otherwise have been available for other duties.

“For me, the ideal scenario would be an agreed and organised event that ensures safety and security minimises wider disruption and which could also create economic opportunities.”

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“Those people that were involved in setting off pyrotechnics, use of inflammatory banners, violence, co-ordinated violence and disorder at the weekend were the minority.

“However, the impact on residents, businesses, tourism and cost to the taxpayer cannot be ignored, and we’ve received feedback from all of those groups.”

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The gatherings were not supported by the police or Glasgow City Council, which said such events were disruptive and “robbed the public purse”, in sharp contrast to the official events that councils in Newcastle and Liverpool recently staged to allow supporters to celebrate their teams’ achievements.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Glasgow City Council had plenty to say about the Celtic street party before and after – there was always going to be drink and in the age we live in drugs taken by some. There was always going to be rubbish, empty cans, bottles and so on and doing nothing about a known event then sniping about it is a bad look.

They also allowed an Orange Walk that day and Glasgow has more of these just about every week during their ‘marching season’. Celtic supporters were celebration the team’s victory in the Scottish Premiership, what are they ‘celebrating’? Their ‘culture’ that’s all about hatred of Irish Roman Catholics.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney. Photo Andrew Barr (IMAGO)

John Swinney the First Minister coming out to condemn the young Celtic supporters but had nothing to say about the Orange Walks or Glasgow City Council’s failing to recognise that these events are likely to be an annual event in Glasgow every year. The title has not been won by a club outside of Glasgow for 40 years so it’s a fair bet that over the next number of years fans of Celtic or possibly even theRangers will be organising these parties themselves unless a proper fanzone is provided.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Vagelis Georgariou

Glasgow Green holds concerts that have the basic infrastructure to cope and the land is not damaged. Get a festival organiser involved and provide fencing, ticketing, toilets, bars (no carry-outs, no bottles), searches at the entrance and so on. Moaning about the costs can be a thing of the past but as a matter of interest we will try to establish the annual cost of policing Orange Walks in Glasgow each year – and never a word is said about that.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Vagelis Georgariou

Celtic supporters have long memories. During the Covid season they stopped two Celtic games from going ahead because a Celtic player Boli Bolingoli broke the rules by taking a flight to meet a young woman. Then when five players from theRangers were caught at a house party the SNP rushed out a statement praising theRangers for taking swift action.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Vagelis Georgariou

Politics is a dirty business.  They don’t want upset Unionist, because anything they do or say that can be regarded as pro-Celtic will be used as propaganda to widen the anti-SNP message. Therefore Glasgow City Council dragging the First Minister into this is bad politics and all we are asking for is common sense and that in supported by Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell. And their is no bias of favouritism because if in the unlikely event that theRangers win the title then the structure will be in place to facilitate their celebrations.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Vagelis Georgariou

But if they won’t listen to us then they should at least listen to Ms Farrell.

Speak to the two clubs and get their views on where their fan zone should be. We had suggested Glasgow Green for Celtic and Bellahouston Park for theRangers but the clubs in consolation with their fan groups would be best placed to advise.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Vagelis Georgariou

Once that happens but the structure in place, use a festival organiser. Control the event like a licensed concert and let the supporters have their celebration. In the age of social media this is now unstoppable and in terms of political elections that same communication channels can be used to influence elections.

It’s already happening across the road as the SNP surely know.

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Vagelis Georgariou

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