Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
September 8, 2009
HIBS fans have been accused of singing racist chants, hurling abuse at rail staff and urinating in a train corridor as police reveal a league table of the worst behaved travelling supporters in Scotland.
The British Transport Police highlighted the recent incidents involving supporters of the Easter Road side as they expressed fears that football-related disorder was becoming more serious on the railways.
While the incidents involving Hibs fans were at the minor end of the scale, supporters of other teams have been involved in more serious hooligan-related violence while travelling to pre-season and early-season games.
Incidents included Aberdeen fans making Nazi salutes, a man hit by a bottle thrown by unidentified football fans, and a fight between St Mirren and Morton supporters.
Scottish area commander Chief Superintendent Martyn Ripley said it was the nature, rather than the number, of incidents that was cause for concern.
He said: "Some of these incidents have been for breach of the peace, or disorderly behaviour, but we are seeing an increase in sectarian breaches and the resurgence of mob violence.
"For example, we recently had to deal with a large fight that broke out amongst a number of fans in Stonehaven, in Aberdeenshire.
"The level of offence we are recording is now increasing. They are far more serious than a few years ago, to the point where we are starting to see more assaults and violence."
No Hearts fans have so far been involved in incidents on the railways this season.
The most recent British Transport Police figures show that there were 62 football-related arrests last season, up from 61 in 2007-8. Five Hibs fans were arrested for breach of the peace, resisting arrest and drinking offences - the largest number of arrests outside the Old Firm.
Two Hearts fans were arrested, one for a common assault at Haymarket Station and the other for breach of the peace.
These numbers pale in comparison with the Glasgow clubs, which accounted for nearly two-thirds of the arrests on the rail network in Scotland - with 22 Rangers and 14 Celtic fans arrested last year.
Ch Supt Ripley said that while the Edinburgh clubs were "pretty well behaved", Edinburgh's train stations could still be the flashpoint for incidents involving visiting fans or supporters passing through.
Last year, Waverley Station was the site of five arrests for breach of the peace involving fans from both Edinburgh clubs, as well as a Rangers fan and a Falkirk fan who assaulted a police officer.
He added: "The biggest problem in Edinburgh isn't with the Hibs and Hearts fans, it's the fans that come to Edinburgh via Waverley Station.
"It's an interchange point for fans heading down from the north of Scotland, fans coming up from south of the Border, and fans heading west into Glasgow.
A spokeswoman for Hibs said: "The club condemns any offensive or threatening behaviour or violence related to football."
Hearts declined to comment.
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