A SMALL minority of yobs were to blame for the violence which marred the Uefa Cup final in Manchester, police and council chiefs said today.
Hundreds of Rangers fans went on the rampage when a big screen showing the match in the city's Piccadilly Gardens failed to work just before kick-off.
Fifteen officers were injured, as well as a police dog, and 42 arrests were made as hundreds of
riot police and supporters fought running battles.
One fan of Rangers' Russian opponents, Zenit St Petersburg, was stabbed but his injuries were not life-threatening.
The match commander, Assistant Chief Constable Justine Curran, said the response of her officers was "appropriate".
She said: "It was challenging and we were stretched. Our officers did come under a degree of violent attacks. I am happy we responded appropriately. We could not let those minor disturbances affect the day for everybody.
"I am satisfied our reaction was appropriate. I watched the scenes in Piccadilly Gardens from the control room. I saw officers chased down a street by a baying mob of around 200 people. We had to do something."
The screen that failed was one of eight mounted in the city to accommodate more than 100,000 ticketless fans who descended from Glasgow.
Council leader Sir Richard Leese said the screen went blank 15 minutes before the 7.45pm kick-off but had been working throughout the day.
Around 11,000 fans were transported by shuttle bus to an alternative screen set up rapidly at the Velodrome near the City of Manchester of Stadium – but a group of supporters stayed and vented their fury at the police.
A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond said today: "Clearly we are very disappointed with the actions of a clear minority of the 100,000-plus fans who travelled to Manchester for the final.
"The vast majority of fans created and enjoyed a carnival atmosphere.
"But sadly the actions of a few have spoilt what was a very positive occasion."
He said the Scottish Government was being updated on the situation.
"Obviously there are issues being raised in terms of technical failures and the number of people in certain areas," he went on.
Scottish Tory deputy leader Murdo Fraser called for an inquiry into last night's events.
"Lessons need to be learned, not least if we are hosting similar events in the future," said Mr Fraser.
A relaxed attitude to fans' drinking in the street – normally outlawed – was adopted as supporters consumed alcohol from breakfast onwards.
Sir Richard added: "Do you really think we were going to stop 100,000-plus Glaswegians wanting to have a drink? It was not possible.
"Trying to enforce that would have created a public order problem."
The full article contains 463 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
