Politicians and police in Scotland demanded urgent action Thursday to curb violence at matches between Rangers and Celtic after the latest incendiary meeting between the fierce Glasgow rivals.
There were calls for games between the two sides, known in Scotland as the ''Old Firm,'' to be scrapped following scenes of violence in Wednesday's ill-tempered Scottish Cup fifth-round replay, which Celtic won 1-0.
Three Rangers players were sent off, the two managers had to be separated after a heated post-match confrontation, 34 fans were arrested inside the stadium and a referee was manhandled on an evening of mayhem at Celtic Park.
''The disgraceful scenes last night cannot be ignored,'' Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said.
Stewart Regan, chief executive of the Scottish Football Association, said he ''was both saddened and deeply embarrassed to witness the scenes that unfolded during what is supposed to be Scottish football's flagship fixture.''
At the request of local police, Salmond said authorities will meet with the two clubs for talks to address the future of the fixture.
''The government will be happy to convene that summit to chart a way forward and to make sure that all parties involved - the government, the Scottish Football Association and the clubs - are mindful of their obligations and wider role in Scottish society,'' Salmond said during a parliamentary session.
Les Gray, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said he wanted Old Firm games to be banned in Glasgow because they led to too much violence, which was ''replicated throughout the streets, the pubs and the clubs and the houses within Scotland.''
''It may well be that they'll have to look at playing the game behind closed doors for two or three times just to see how it goes,'' Gray said.
The Celtic-Rangers rivalry runs deeper than just a simple game of football.
A volatile mix of religion, politics and fierce sporting rivalry roll into one, often triggering trouble in and outside the stadium.
Rangers' traditionally Protestant fan base differs from Celtic's, whose supporters are more likely to be Roman Catholics.
A number of the arrests made on Wednesday were for sectarian offenses, as well as racial and breach-of-the-peace violations.
Celtic and Rangers are also Scotland's most successful clubs, winning the Scottish title 95 times between them.
The long-running rivalry began in the 1880s but only really got nasty early in the 20th century.
In 1909, sections of Hampden Park, Scotland's national stadium, were set on fire and more than 50 policemen were reportedly injured when violence erupted at the end of a Scottish Cup final replay.
Twenty-two years later, Celtic goalkeeper John Thomson died after he was kicked in the head by a Rangers player during a match at Ibrox, the home of Rangers.
Wednesday's scenes were tame by comparison, yet they were some of the worst in recent years.
Steven Whittaker and Madjid Bougherra were both sent off for Rangers in regulation time before Senegal forward El-Hadji Diouf - no stranger to controversy during his days in England with Liverpool, Bolton and Blackburn - was dismissed for confronting referee Calum Murray.
Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist and Celtic manager Neil Lennon then squared up to each other, leading to pushing and shoving between players and members of the managerial staff from both clubs.
''The unedifying sight of two of the country's most recognizable and respected coaches engaged in an angry confrontation was not only unsavory but exacerbated an already incendiary atmosphere inside the stadium and throughout the West of Scotland,'' Regan said.
In total, there were 13 yellow cards shown by Murray, who was often harassed and abused by players as he made his decisions.
It was the fifth Old Firm match this season, with two more still to play.
Gray said that by the end of the season, it will have cost taxpayers up to 40 million pounds to police the seven games.
''It's horrendous after games, sheer bedlam,'' Gray said. ''Walking home, the noise of police and ambulance sirens fills the air. It is like a war zone ... Anyone who walks the streets after an Old Firm game is taking their life in their hands.''
