Old Firm violence and silence: What now for Celtic and Rangers?

"Celtic beat Rangers on penalties to progress to the Scottish Cup semi-finals but the result was overshadowed by violent scenes following the final whistle. On Wednesday Chief Constable Jo Farrell, speaking at the Scottish Parliament, said that no-one from either club had come out to condemn the disorder."

"Celtic fans initially spilled onto the pitch only for Rangers fans to soon join the fracas. Players from both teams were ushered down the tunnel as more home supporters ran across the pitch to confront the Celtic fans. Flares were thrown as police and stewards formed a barricade to separate the two groups of supporters."

"Rangers "unequivocally" condemned the fan disorder but said it would not accept a narrative that "ignores the full context of what happened". The Ibrox club also described the scenes as "unacceptable". The statement added: "Safety must always come first in football, for supporters, players and everyone working in and around the game.""

Following Celtic's penalty shootout victory over Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, a pitch invasion resulted in violent clashes between supporters. Celtic fans initially invaded the pitch, followed by Rangers supporters, leading to confrontations while players were escorted to safety. Police and stewards formed barriers to separate the groups as flares were thrown. Several officers and fans sustained injuries before order was restored. The Scottish Football Association condemned the scenes immediately, launching an investigation. Both clubs remained silent initially, prompting criticism from Police Chief Constable Jo Farrell at Scottish Parliament. Rangers and Celtic subsequently issued statements condemning the disorder, with Rangers emphasizing safety priorities and expressing dismay at graffiti mocking the 1971 Ibrox disaster.

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