Merchant City and Trongate Community Council (MCTCC) submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the force asking for the cost of policing Celtic fans’ unofficial ‘title parties’ around Glasgow Cross in May 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
In response, Police Scotland said it does not collect such data and added: “The nature of policing means that officers are deployed to wherever their services are most required and as such costs of policing such events are not routinely calculated.”
The Glasgow Times previously submitted a similar FOI request and received the same response.
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(Image: Gordon Terris takes photos at the unofficial Celtic title party 2025.) A spokesperson for MCTCC said it is “astonishing” that Police Scotland “doesn’t have a clue” what it cost to organise its response to the gatherings and called it “an insult to taxpayers”.
They said: “It is astonishing for Police Scotland to admit it doesn’t have a clue what it cost to bring some kind of order to these events which have blighted Glasgow city centre for years.
“Policing is not free. This is an insult to taxpayers who, year after year, have had to foot the bill.
“This May, more than 300 officers had to be called upon to safeguard residents, visitors, traffic and property.
“The expense of all that was substantial, in addition to the costs of cleaning up afterwards.”
Glasgow City Council however previously revealed the entire cost of the clean-up for 2024’s title party was expected to come to £100,402.81. Figures for 2025’s clean-up cost are yet to be confirmed.
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(Image: Gordon Terris takes photos at the unofficial Celtic title party 2025.) On Saturday, May 17 of this year, thousands of Celtic fans gathered in Trongate for the fourth year in a row to celebrate the club’s Scottish Premiership win.
The event saw 20 people arrested following the disorder, with cops saying 17 people were charged and four reported in connection with alleged offences including being in possession of pyrotechnics or offensive weapons, assault, and public order.
It followed similar events which have taken place in Trongate in 2024, 2023 and 2022 and in George Square in 2021 and have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and forced businesses to close for the day.
After this year’s gathering, Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell revealed there were 320 police officers involved in the response who were “not available to communities for other duties”.
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(Image: Newsquest) Speaking at a Scottish Police Authority board meeting, Chief Constable Farrell said in the future, there needs to be co-operation from Celtic and Rangers and the Scottish Football Association to organise an official event for fans to celebrate their team’s success, the BBC reported.
The Glasgow Times previously reported at a meeting in Hampden Park in March, MSP Kaukab Stewart brought together MCTCC, Calton Community Council and representatives for Celtic FC, Rangers FC, the SPFL, Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council in a bid to avoid the ‘disruption’ seen in previous years.
Despite agreements “more should be done” to encourage fans not to gather in the city centre, no plans were put forward and the unofficial gathering went ahead.
In April, MCTCC and Calton Community Council wrote to Hoops CEO Michael Nicholson urging him encourage the club’s supporters not to repeat the ‘disgraceful anti-social behaviour’ seen in previous years.
They said: “We urge you to issue a public statement firmly instructing Celtic fans not to indulge in similar disruption and anti-social behaviour as this football season draws to a close.
“The reputation of Celtic Football Club – and of the city of Glasgow – is again at stake.”
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They did not receive a reply.
MCTCC has now submitted a formal challenge to Police Scotland’s FOI request response and say there is an “urgent need for transparency” and public interest demands information about the costs are made available.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “The nature of policing means that officers are deployed to wherever their services are most required and as such costs of policing such events are not routinely calculated.
“We work closely with a range of partners to ensure appropriate plans are in place to maintain public safety and minimise any disruption to the wider community during these events.
“On the day there was a multi-agency response to the incident.
“Engagement was undertaken with the local MSP and the Calton Community Council as part of the planning process.
“Officers engaged with the local community in advance of and during the gathering.
“We continue to work with key partners as part of a city-wide approach.”