Police Scotland say Celtic failed to provide fan safety plans for potential Premiership title celebration

Police Scotland has said Celtic has failed to ‘plan or take any responsibility’ for fan safety ahead of potential title winning celebrationsBoth Heart of Midlothian and Celtic have a chance to win the title when they face off on Saturday. A draw or win for Hearts will see the title head to Edinburgh for the first time since 1960, whilst a Celtic win will see the club clinch its fifth title in a row.Glasgow’s Trongate has become a popular congregation spot for Celtic fans looking to celebrate cup and title wins. But Police Scotland said that ‘widespread disorder’ within the city centre led to discussions between Glasgow City Council alongside Rangers and Celtic with the view of creating an organised event or fanzone foe potential celebrations.Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: “We have supported Glasgow City Council in discussions with both Celtic and Rangers over many months to explore options and encourage the clubs to establish an organised event or fanzone which would allow their supporters to celebrate safely and reduce the impact on the local community should they win the title.”Celtic fans congretating at the Trongate | Trongate CelticHowever, Police Scotland has criticised Celtic’s response to the talks, with the force saying the club had not taken responsibility for fan safety.ACC Waddell said: “Despite these welcome efforts, Celtic Football Club has again failed to bring forward any plan or take any responsibility for the wider conduct and safety of supporters outwith the stadium.“Should Celtic win the title on Saturday, we have again had to plan for thousands of supporters gathering in the Trongate area of the city as in previous years. A dedicated policing plan is in place should this occur which has impacted on the wellbeing of our officers and staff and led to the unnecessary cancellation of rest days. “Anyone intent on breaking the law and engaging in anti-social behaviour should be in no doubt that we will enforce the law to maintain public safety.”In a statement, Celtic urged fans to be ‘mindful of the challenges which have been faced by Glasgow City Council previously’ and confirmed the meetings with Glasgow City Council.A statement reads: “We understand that the pressure placed on the city on such occasions is immense. We know there have been instances in the past which have proved difficult for the local community in terms of movement, obstructions and impact on emergency services.“Glasgow City Council has committed to working together with football clubs on facilitating potential celebrations which would be meaningful to fans and less impactful on communities. Until these options can be delivered, we need to play our role in trying to relieve some of the pressures. We are aware of some of the issues which have arisen, many of which have led to serious safety concerns.”Police Scotland has said Celtic has failed to ‘plan or take any responsibility’ for fan safety ahead of potential title winning celebrations | Local LibraryThe club discouraged supporters from attending city centre gatherings.The statement continued: “If successful on Saturday, we would absolutely want our fans to enjoy their own celebrations, but given these events and the wider logistics, we would therefore discourage supporters from attending gatherings in the city centre this weekend, where there is no safety management in place and which have such a high impact on city. “The pressure which is placed on the city and its services clearly will be enormous and we want to do all we can to support the city.”