Celtic fans have hit out at the pre-match activities of Police Scotland at Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
Around 10am it seems that a major operation was carried out on London Road that detained 90 fans from the Green Brigade with knock on effects for thousands of Celtic supporters.
That major route to the stadium was blocked off, cars and buses had to find alternative routes with many supporters arriving in the stadium after the match had kicked off.
Tensions between the Green Brigade and the club have been high in recent weeks following SPFL sanctions over Pyro, the club statements on banners and the refusal for a pre-match Tifo at yesterday’s match.
In more general terms agreeing to away fans returning to the Derby fixture hasn’t gone down well with large sections of the Celtic support while the silence over Alan Muir makes the club look weak and compliant.
When you mix those factors in with an appalling display from the team culminating in a late defeat there was plenty of hostility to a tweet from John Paul Taylor, the club’s Supporters Liaison Officer.
To clarify, I attended the incident in London Rd today from 12:25 where I liaised between PS and fans who were being held. I remained on London Rd as n this capacity until 14:10. I have since passed on my feedback to the Club
— CELTIC FC SLO (@CelticFCSLO) March 16, 2025
Publication of the feedback and a reaction from the board would go a long way to allaying the suspicions of many supporters, mostly Season Ticket holders.
There are a few areas between Parkhead Cross and the north-east entrances to the stadium where full searches for Piro could have been carried out with much less disruption, it seems that the Piro searches of away fans at the match were less successful.
There can be no doubt that relations between supporters and the club are at a low ebb, the Green Brigade and the Board of Directors view each other with suspicion.
This isn’t new.
Last season the Green Brigade section was empty with the stadium near silent as Hearts won at Celtic Park.
In season 21/22 there was a 30 minute silent protest as Ange Postecoglou’s side drew 0-0 at home with Livingston.
Going further back there was serious crushing at the 2 September 2018 Glasgow Derby, the first where the away allocation was reduced from 7,000 to 800.
On that occasion the initial reaction of the club was met with a massive wave of hostility.
CELTIC Football Club have issued the following statement following today’s game at Celtic Park.
We are aware of the issues caused by congestion prior to kick-off. We are pleased that stewards and police were able to assist quickly and we thank our supporters for their patience shown while the matter was being dealt with.
We will work closely with police to investigate and review this matter. The safety of our supporters will always be our priority.
Seventeen hours later the club performed a 180 degrees turn as the extent of the crushing became known:
CELTIC Football Club today issued the following statement with regards to events prior to Sunday’s match at Celtic Park.
‘The safety of our fans will always be of paramount importance and this is a matter which we are treating with the utmost seriousness. The Club, along with Police Scotland, will be investigating this matter fully to identify the causes and take the appropriate steps to ensure this does not happen again at Celtic Park.
The Club and Police Scotland will advise of the outcome of this investigation once it is complete.
We are fully aware of the serious difficulties which arose yesterday for supporters, and we sincerely regret and apologise that so many fans were faced with this situation.
Yesterday’s match was the first occasion which featured new segregation and access arrangements.
Our total focus now is to work with the Police in looking at these arrangements and other circumstances surrounding this particular fixture and to take the correct action to ensure this situation is never repeated.
Our priority will always be to ensure our supporters enjoy a safe and positive experience at Celtic Park. We will be doing all we can to make sure this continues to be the case at all times.
The findings of the September 2018 were never made public, it is unlikely that the club will comment on yesterday’s events as they celebrate St Patrick’s Day across their social media channels.
Police were completely over the top, intimidating, kettle, vans everywhere, horses barricades never seen so many police complete overkill. The barricade in London Rd after the game was ridicules when the rangers fans where still in the stadium.
— Garry (@lubosibroxparty) March 16, 2025
What exactly is the benefit to fans of having a liason officer? F_ck all was done to address the heavy handed abuse of power used to disenfranchise Celtic supporters? Celtic fans shouldn’t engage with the police, it only legitimizes the biased,corrupt double standard in policing
— RSFORC (@RSFORC1) March 16, 2025
Sorry JP I witnessed it at 10.30 then after the game. Every individual being photographed and details taken one by one – disgraceful. No doubt these supporters will be getting chaps on doors at ridiculous times and also possibly loose jobs in the long run.
— 1888 (@thebhoywatson) March 16, 2025
And what was that silent feedback?
You hide behind this all the time. Ask people to email etc to keep things out of the public eye.
Time to do the right thing and call out yesterday for what it was – an illegal stop & search and pre planned harassment!
— FourGreenFields (@F0URGREENFIELDS) March 17, 2025
It is actually getting beyond a joke the police presence at big Celtic games now. I am all for keeping fans safe, but it is actually intimidating now. Something stinks about it now.
— The Kev (@kev_tee) March 17, 2025
The organisations of it by police scotland was a joke. Resulted in me and my son being 35 mins late to the game as he has a disability and can’t walk that distance without multiple stops. Police could and should have moved them off the main road. Disgusting way to treat fans.
— Coll 💚 (@Colleen1888) March 17, 2025
Incident was well documented, what other feedback can you pass on? Playin with fire here
— RjayBhoy (@RjayCeltic) March 16, 2025
Shouldn’t be allowed to treat the public in a supposedly free country in that way,😞😞👿👿🤑🤑
— michael tracey (@michaeltracey10) March 17, 2025
What was your feedback surely we have a right to no? Disgrace what happened today
— darren joyce (@dj27legend) March 16, 2025
If its a pyrotechnic issue as the police are hinting at, then why not search at the turnstiles or have sniffer dogs like they do in England. It was premeditated and its hard to believe the club weren’t involved in some way.
— DaDot (@Lillyloulough) March 16, 2025
Its not the club you’re giving feedback to, it’s those parasites that sit on the board. Those parasites that can’t wait to issue statements about fans, while blatant favouritism shown from the officials this season go unchallenged. The board can take a flying fuck to themselves.
— Lance Vance (@_screaminweasel) March 16, 2025
Make your feedback accessible to the fans then, publicly show it. An absolute disgrace that the club have remained silent on this, but hardly surprising.
— Gee 🍀 (@GrainneMcw5503) March 17, 2025
Fall on deaf ears when come our club Jp . Let not kid yourself
— jason is back (@gregorymcg24760) March 16, 2025
Why were so many rangers fans let in after agreed time? The gates between the main stand and the Lisbon lions stand were open around 11.30am with Celtic fans going through then when we approached them, the stewards started closing them due to rangers fans getting let in.
— Edward Hughes (@EdwardH24745456) March 17, 2025
Celtic Board have caused this JP. An absolute fucking disgrace if this isn’t addressed.
— connor (@con_67) March 16, 2025
Mate you’ve tweeted 8hrs15mins after presence on London RD. This was orchestrated the day. Fcking laughable. Completely disrupted our ‘home’ fixture against they dogs. 99% of our support don’t want to be just that wee bit better than them. Yees have fuelled them yet again
— KevM 🍀 (@KevinMa05611911) March 16, 2025
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1 Comment
by Valentine's day massacre
I presume that those nice , neutral bizzies chaps and chapettes , were very worried that Celtic FC fans were about to cause carnage on the streets next to their own home stadium ? Fans whose team were 16 points clear in the league and 2 games away from winning another domestic treble were intent on outdoing the George Square celebrations and battles from a few years ago ? Yes , I can see where the Celtic fans were all desperate and determined to cause anarchy on the streets of Glasgow…..in the eyes of the plod !