“It’s one of the cruellest, most heartless things you could do — desecrating graves in a place meant for mourning and peace. It’s absolutely vile.”
11:06, 02 Aug 2025Updated 11:09, 02 Aug 2025
Discarded litter across graves(Image: GlasgowLive)
A devastated local has slammed vandals who set fire to rubbish in a Glasgow cemetery — leaving scorched litter strewn across graves in what she branded a “cruel and atrocious act”.
The woman, who lives near Riddrie Park Cemetery in the city’s east end, was left horrified after witnessing firefighters extinguishing a blaze among the headstones last weekend.
She claims the yobs raided nearby bins for rubbish before setting it alight inside the council-run graveyard, leaving burnt debris scattered over loved ones’ final resting places.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “On Sunday evening we were walking past the cemetery and saw the fire brigade putting out a blaze. It looked like someone’s rubbish had been set on fire right in the middle of the cemetery.”
But things took an even more upsetting turn when she spotted mounds of rubbish dumped across several graves, sparking outrage in the local community.
She added: “It’s one of the cruellest, most heartless things you could do — desecrating graves in a place meant for mourning and peace. It’s absolutely vile.”
Burnt out rubbish
Photos taken at the scene show charred waste littered over plots, with the surrounding grass unkempt and overgrown — something the woman says has become all too common.
She accused Glasgow City Council of letting the cemetery “fall into a state of neglect,” saying: “The place is a mess — the grass is rarely cut, there’s dog muck everywhere, and fly-tipping is constant. Now we’ve got fires being lit. It’s disgraceful.”
She’s now calling for urgent action — including regular maintenance, cemetery gates being locked at night, and a full clean-up operation.
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“This is sacred ground — people come here to grieve. It needs protected, not left to rot,” she said.
Glasgow City Council confirmed the incident was dealt with after being flagged earlier this week — though it had not been reported directly to them at the time.
A spokesperson said: “The recent fly-tipping incident in Riddrie Cemetery was never reported directly to the council. However, staff did attend at the incident on Wednesday this week and dealt with it appropriately.
“Fly-tipping at any location is unacceptable but dumping rubbish in a cemetery where people go to mourn and remember their loved ones is abhorrent, anti-social behaviour.
“Our staff are routinely in the cemetery three times a week and will deal with any issues promptly. Ground maintenance is undertaken regularly over the growing season, including around headstones.”
Meanwhile, a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 7.40pm to reports of rubbish on fire within Riddrie Park Cemetery. One appliance was sent and the crew left the scene at 8.02pm.”