NICOLA STURGEON HAS condemned the “infuriating and disgraceful” celebrations in Glasgow as she urged Rangers to ask people to go home.
Thousands of fans have flouted the coronavirus lockdown to gather in the streets and celebrate Rangers winning the Scottish Premiership – their first top-flight title in 10 years.
The mass gatherings have been widely condemned, with the First Minister warning that the celebrations could jeopardise plans to ease the coronavirus restrictions.
Scotland’s Justice Secretary and police chiefs have also urged rule-breakers to go home, but the pleas have gone unheeded, with fans packed into George Square and congregating outside Ibrox stadium.
Shortly after 5pm, Police Scotland said a “small number” of arrests have been made and officers at the scene have been attempting to encourage fans to return home.
But by 8pm, the crowds had not dispersed, despite the police herding hundreds of people away from the stadium along Paisley Road West earlier in the evening.
I share folks’ anger at this. Everyone has made so many sacrifices in the past year & seeing a minority risk our progress is infuriating & disgraceful. It is deeply unfair to the entire country, and the police have a hard enough job already. Please ask fans to go home @RangersFC https://t.co/haH5DAzhIh
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) March 7, 2021
Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “I share folks’ anger at this.
“Everyone has made so many sacrifices in the past year and seeing a minority risk our progress is infuriating and disgraceful.
“It is deeply unfair to the entire country, and the police have a hard enough job already.
“Please ask fans to go home @RangersFC”.
The club have tweeted or retweeted 52 times in the six hours since they were crowned champions, but not addressed the mass gathering of fans.
Ms Sturgeon had previously offered her congratulations to Rangers and said: “I congratulate @RangersFC on the title win & recognise what a moment this is for fans.
“But gathering in crowds just now risks lives, and could delay exit from lockdown for everyone else.
“If those gathering care at all about the safety of others and the country, they will go home.”
