The majority of Rangers fans will have been as shocked as the rest of Scotland by the scenes in George Square on Saturday.
Social media was full footage of drunken supporters fighting with each other and attacking police officers.
This vile behaviour would be bad enough in the best of times. But the thousands who descended on Glasgow placed an unacceptable burden on emergency workers during a pandemic.
In a week in which the city recorded a worrying spike in Covid cases, to gather in such numbers was hugely irresponsible.
This is the second incident of its kind involving Rangers fans in George Square this year. It can’t happen again.
Police Scotland has been placed in a awful position and understandably points to the difficulty in controlling such a huge crowd. But the response to these incidents too often seems reactive rather than proactive.
Club officials must meet senior police officers and politicians to come up with a plan to prevent future disturbances on this scale.
Rangers’ achievement on the park this season was remarkable. They ended their greatest rivals’ quest for 10 titles in a row in style, managing to go through a whole league season undefeated.
That’s all anyone should have been talking about in the last few days when it came to the Ibrox side.
But some Rangers supporters thought it acceptable to fight among themselves, throw flares and fireworks into crowds and attack police officers.
They have overshadowed the success achieved by Steve Gerrard’s team and they have shamed the club they claim to love.
Answers needed
Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed in the Our Scottish Future survey said they wanted more information on the implications of independence.
This number includes people who support Scotland leaving the UK.
The Scottish independence debate can too often be about identity rather than the nuts and bolts of what independence could or would mean.
Both sides should welcome the result of a survey that says Scots want to be better informed before deciding the constitutional question.
Gordon Brown is right to point out the importance of “Middle Scotland” in the debate. Some will never waiver from their support for the union or desire for independence.
But this important part of the Scottish electorate, as many as 1.5million Scots, can be persuaded by a sound argument.
That’s why it’s vital for both sides to make sure the people are given all the information they need on the key issues.
