Police dogs set on rioting derby thugs

RIOTING football hooligans were subdued by police dogs and CS spray after organised violence broke out in the wake of Saturday night’s derby match at Easter Road.

A series of post-match street brawls have been linked to a re-emergence of the violent “casuals” that terrorised the game during the 1980s.

Hooligans from Aberdeen and Chelsea were said to have been among those involved in the initial fighting, which involved about 40 Hibs casuals.

Police from across the Capital were called to deal with a “major disturbance” between Hibs and Hearts supporters following the game – the first Edinburgh derby to be switched to a Saturday evening kick-off to accommodate live coverage on satellite television.

Saturday night’s violence centred on the Hopetoun Bar off McDonald Road. Officers used force to remove the thugs from the area around the pub, but several other skirmishes were reported across the city centre on Saturday evening.

Staff at the Hopetoun declined to comment on Saturday’s incident but witnesses said that about 40 Hibs casuals congregated in the pub following the 2-1 Hearts victory.

They claimed that “out of town back-up” including members of the Aberdeen and Chelsea casuals were also spotted in the pub. One window at the nightspot today remained covered with tape after being smashed during clashes on Saturday night.

A police source today said: “The rival factions were kept apart and denied the chance to congregate in other pubs. We see this as part of a resurgence of casual activity, which mirrors events south of the Border.”

It is understood that a handful of arrests were made.

Saturday’s violence is latest in a series of incidents which senior officers believe heralds the resurrection of the casual problem – almost a decade after it appeared to die out.

In November, passers-by fled in terror as police used CS gas to break up battles between dozens of Hearts and Celtic supporters at Haymarket.

Fans punched and kicked each other while bricks, bottles and other missiles were hurled at rivals following the Tynecastle match. At the time police admitted they hoped the incident was a “one-off”. The following month, Hearts officials launched a probe after approximately 100 seats and a toilet were damaged by visiting fans in the Roseburn Stand during a derby match at Tynecastle.

At the beginning of the season, police warned a new generation of football hooligans were being spotted at Scottish Premier League matches.

Casual crews such as the CCS (Capital City Service), who were linked to Hibs, and the CSF (Casual Soccer Firm), linked to Hearts, caused violence in the 1980s and 1990s, but the problem seemed to disappear as those involved grew older.

Earlier this season Lothian and Borders Police's anti-hooliganism initiative, Operation Turfed Out, saw officers tackling drink-related violence outside Tynecastle, Easter Road and Almondvale.

Police have also raised concerns about tea-time kick-offs – Saturday’s game kicked off at 5.35pm – claiming that the later start time could be linked to an increase in alcohol-fuelled violence.

It is not the first time that trouble broke out following an Easter Road derby. In October 2000, about 30 Hearts supporters smashed up the Royal Nip pub in Albert Street following Hibs’ humilating 6-2 victory.