Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has slammed the Rangers fans who threw objects onto the pitch during Sunday’s Old Firm defeat by Celtic at Ibrox for their “mindless, thuggish behaviour”.
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The start of the second half was delayed after a bottle was lobbed onto the pitch, with Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart pointing to shards of broken glass in his goalmouth.
Other objects rained down when Celtic’s Jota was taking a corner kick.
And a member of the visitors’ backroom staff needed stitches in his head after being struck while making his way towards the tunnel.
Celtic won 2-1 to inflict the first home league defeat on their arch Glasgow rivals for two years and took a step closer to regaining the Scottish Premiership title.
The result, however, was far from Sturgeon’s mind.
“This sort of behaviour is not acceptable,” she told LBC radio on Monday.
“Whether it happens 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.”
She said the violence was a matter “for the football authorities and potentially for the police and criminal justice authorities.”
The First Minister added: “Regardless of what team you support… people should be able to enjoy football.
“Football should be something that people can take their 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.”
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