This is the moment a huge fight broke out between crowds of football fans outside Tynecastle Park this evening - just an hour before kick-off.
Celtic and Hearts are kicking off the Scottish Premier League season this evening (8pm) but police are already racing to disperse crowds of fighting men who are reportedly 'throwing glass bottles' at one another.
In footage shared with Edinburgh Live, police officers can be seen in the midst of a violent brawl as they try to separate the football supporters.
Individuals can be seen taking strikes at one another, with many kicking others in the skirmish - one resident tweeted that they were 'throwing glass bottles' at people entering the stadium.
Tonight there are 5,272 spectators at Tynecastle, with ticket-holders chosen via a ballot among the club's season-ticket holders - meaning that only 'home fans' could attend the match. It marks the first widespread look at supporters returning to domestic football for 16 months.
An eye-witness at the scene told Edinburgh Live: "A group of Celtic fans appeared outside the Athletic Arms pub and made their way down towards Gorgie Road towards the stadium.
"They were watched by police although a group of Hearts fans also turned up and there were scuffles outside the main stand.
"There was a big police presence on the scene pretty quickly and they managed to keep the two groups apart and send them on their way in different directions."
One person reported on Twitter: "A gang of them ran down outside the plaza as we were going passed. Lobbing cans and glass bottles. Then a couple police cars came zooming down. Seemed to me the police were underprepared even though there’s no away fans."
Another agreed: "Police escorting a large group of youths dressed mainly in black and green along Dalry Rd towards Haymarket… don’t think they are locals."
"Fighting before tonight’s game at Tynecastle. An 8pm kick-off…what could possibly have gone wrong?", questioned another local.
Edinburgh Live have contacted Police Scotland for comment.
