Sunday 22 May 2016 19:25, UK
Rangers have launched a withering attack on Hibernian and the Scottish FA following Saturday's violence at the Scottish Cup final.
Hibs won a superb game 3-2 to end their 114-year wait to win the competition, but the victory was marred when hundreds of their fans invaded the pitch, and Sky sources understand up to six Rangers players and staff were assaulted and injured.
Rangers fans also came onto the pitch, though in much smaller numbers than their rival fans, and there was fighting between the two sets of supporters.
In Sunday's statement, Rangers hit out at the Edinburgh club and the Scottish FA for what they say is their failure to condemn the Hibs fans, or ask how the Rangers players are.
It read: "Rangers finds it incomprehensible that no one, either from within the Scottish FA or Hibernian Football Club, has condemned Hibernian's supporters following the violent scenes at the end of yesterday's Scottish Cup final when Rangers players and members of our backroom staff were physically and verbally assaulted.
"We have not even had the courtesy of any contact whatsoever from Hibernian to ask after the wellbeing of those who were attacked by their club's supporters.
"Rangers is also at a complete loss to understand why certain individuals have hastily attempted to gloss over the appalling events which unfolded at the end of Saturday's final.
"No matter how many times Hibernian's chairman and Scottish FA vice-chairman, Rod Petrie, and certain other biased commentators wish to play down Saturday's mayhem and violence, the truth must not be distorted.
"What unfolded on Saturday cannot and must not be put down to exuberance. That is a complete insult to Rangers, our supporters, and those individuals who were intimidated and attacked.
"It was clear to most of those who watched in horror that the Scottish FA's security procedures failed when Hibernian's fans went over the top in their thousands.
"It is to be hoped that all of Scottish football will share Rangers' disgust and any attempts to attach blame to our supporters for the disgraceful and violent behaviour, which led to our players and fans fearing for their safety, will not be accepted or tolerated by this Club.
"We acknowledge that a tiny minority of Rangers fans also encroached on the pitch but only after having been faced with prolonged and severe provocation and in order to protect our players and officials who were being visibly attacked in front of them. Any club's supporters would have done the same."
