Flares in Scottish football to be discussed at Hampden Park meeting
Kick-off at this year's Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and Rangers was delayed because of flares The issue of pyrotechnics in Scottish football will be discussed at a meeting at Hampden Park on Tuesday. Representatives from the SPFL, the Scottish FA, Police Scotland and the Scottish government will attend.
Legislation introduced earlier this year[1] made it illegal to carry fireworks or flares into an event such as a football match. Governing bodies have admitted the problem needs to be addressed but want to see more action from the police. Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said it was a "dangerous" problem which was "escalating" when announcing the new legislation in May.
The Scottish Premiership match between Dundee and Rangers earlier this month was halted for 18 minutes when flares engulfed Den Park in smoke, setting off a fire alarm and forcing the players off the pitch. And kick-off at last season's Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden in April was delayed after fans set off flares inside the ground. Brown told MSPs that the measures, which came into effect on 6 June, were designed to tackle the problem.
The legislation enables police to search and remove pyrotechnics from people as they enter the stadium.
It is now a specific criminal offence to possess a firework or other pyrotechnic at certain places or events - such as football matches, music concerts and festivals - without reasonable excuse.
References
- ^ Legislation introduced earlier this year (www.bbc.co.uk)