BOSTON'S mayor has admitted she placed a traffic cone on a statue amid the Tartan Army’s antics.
The statue of basketball great Bill Russell had been spotted outside of Boston’s City Hall sporting an orange traffic cone hat since the Tartan Army came to town.
Russell won a record 11 NBA titles and five NBA Most Valuable Player awards during a 13-year career with the Boston Celtics.
Mayor Michelle Wu laughed when asked about the trend by journalists on Thursday, after she officially made Boston and Glasgow sister cities.
She said: “I think we may see some lingering traditions from their visit, and I have to admit I also put a cone on Bill Russell’s head outside today.
“It’s been fun. I mean, the cones are pretty fun.”
Wu added: “I think that it’s such a sense of playful, joyful surprise when you can see that happening.
“We do need cones that need to be in the right place to stay in the right place, so we need to find additional cones for that, but it’s just a sense of joy everywhere.”
The traffic cone tradition is most associated with the statue of the Duke of Wellington outside the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow.
Since the late 1980s, a cone has been atop the statue’s head and it has been persistently replaced whenever it is removed.
Wu also praised the Tartan Army for bringing positive energy to the city and for cleaning up after themselves along the way.
“‘No Scotland, no party’ has been absolutely been stuck in my head all the time,” she said.
“I think one other bit of incredible feedback that I’ve gotten is that in space after space, where the Tartan Army has has occupied, whether it is the fan march or other spaces, they’re cleaning up after themselves completely.”
Wu added: “They’re gathering all the litter, putting it away when the trash cans are overflowed, putting it in a little pile next to the trash cans.
“It’s a mayor’s dream, really.”
Wu signed a letter of intent at The Haven, Boston’s only dedicated Scottish bar, which has served as the unofficial Tartan Army headquarters throughout the tournament, on Thursday.
A formal agreement will follow next April during Tartan Week.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Wu said the sister city agreement is “an enduring partnership from there on out”.
She called First Minister John Swinney a “lovely leader” and said it was an “honour” to welcome him into Boston’s City Hall.
She said they had a conversation about the shared history and heritage that Boston and Scotland communities have.
They also discussed how devoted they are to tackling hunger and poverty, especially for children.
“There were a lot of shared values there, and a lot of places where we’ll look to work together,” Wu said.
Lord Provost of Glasgow Dr Cllr Jacqueline McLaren welcomed the announcement and the opportunity to strengthen the ties between Boston and Glasgow.
“Given the strong historical, cultural, educational, and economic links between our two cities, we believe there is tremendous potential to cement a shared ambition to build an even stronger partnership for the future,” Dr McLaren said.
“In recent weeks, Boston has experienced a very Glaswegian welcome of its own.
“The Tartan Army and Scotland supporters have left a lasting impression on Bostonians during the Fifa World Cup, not just through their passion for the game, but through their warmth, friendliness, and unmistakable sense of humour.
“They have been true ambassadors for Scotland, and for Glasgow, showing the very best of who we are as a nation.”
Dr McLaren added that there is also a “strong alignment” in how Boston and Glasgow are tackling challenges such as climate action and net zero.
“Glasgow and Boston are already working side by side to build more sustainable, resilient and inclusive futures for our communities,” she said.
