A teenager was found with a knuckleduster and a pyrotechnic flare as police mounted a major matchday operation to deter clashes between rival Raith Rovers and Dunfermline Athletic hooligans.
Around 40 officers were involved as the arch-rivals met under the floodlights at Stark’s Park for the fourth Fife derby of the season.
Fixtures between the sides in recent years have been marred by violent clashes between rival groups, resulting in numerous arrests and leaving at least three officers injured.
Raith Rovers won the latest match 2-0 thanks to goals from Finlay Pollock and Paul Hanlon.
Courier reporter Neil Henderson was given exclusive access to accompany the match commander PS Craig Fraser and his team ahead of kick off.
Police operation to keep rival fans apart
Pre-match intelligence confirmed that rival groups had arranged to meet prior to the game and that weapons had been stashed in gardens en-route to the ground.
Officers were also on the lookout for illegal pyrotechnics.
Reports that an attempt to smuggle as many as 20 flares into the ground was planned were also in the forefront of officers’ minds.
Police were on high alert throughout the evening, fully aware of the potential for disorder given the recent history between some Raith Rovers and Dunfermline Athletic fans.
In January, two men were sentenced for the sickening attack on a lone Dunfermline fan in 2024.
Meanwhile, in 2023, rival hooligans fought running street battles before the game in Kirkcaldy.
The following season, fan groups clashed once more in Kirkcaldy, which resulted in two police officers being injured.
Rival hooligans planned to ‘meet’ before the game
Following briefings to his officers, Craig Fraser’s team hit the Kirkcaldy streets with several groups deployed at strategic points around the town.
Police were on hand to meet a 100-strong group of Dunfermline supporters as they arrived at Kirkcaldy train station.
Officers, some on foot, as well as in several police vans, chaperoned the group as it took to the streets heading into the town centre.
Reports of a contingent of around 60-70 Raith Rovers fans gathering at a disused multi-storey car park to mount a surprise attack led officers to intercept a group of home supporters.
A call was then made to deploy two police patrols to ensure the rival groups were kept apart.
Rovers fans, the majority between the ages of 12-15 and with many wearing masks or face coverings to conceal their identity, had been cut off by police as they tried to get close to where rival Pars fans had gathered.
Escorting the group to the ground, specially trained officers, known as spotters, were deployed to seek out and alert commanders to the presence of any known troublemakers.
One 15-year-old youth – an individual known to police – was spotted concealing a pyrotechnic device inside his coat and immediately apprehended.
More seriously, he was also found to be carrying a knuckleduster.
He was detained and taken away by officers.
Match commander’s praise for ‘efforts and dedication’ of officers
Meanwhile, a separate patrol team kept close contact with the Dunfermline group, which had swelled to around 150.
Several police vans were used to corral the group as they made their way through the streets and safely to the away end of the ground.
A number of flares were confiscated by police prior to kick off.
More were seized by stewards inside Stark’s Park.
Even with the game underway, there was no question of relaxing, as the operation continued after the final whistle, with officers working to get fans safely home.
Speaking after the game, Police Scotland match commander Craig Fraser praised his officers for preventing clashes between rival sets of hooligans.
He said: “In all, it proved a successful event, with no major disorder, thanks to the efforts and dedication of all officers who were deployed.
“It has been particularly challenging, especially post-match, working to contain rival supporters, but officers carried out great work keeping them apart.
“Much of the success must be attributed to the large amount of planning and liaison work that goes into matchday operations.
“The doorstepping of known individuals to relay the message that disorder will dealt with robustly also had a big impact.”
The Courier’s photographer, Steve MacDougall, was also at Stark’s Park on Friday to capture a fans gallery off supporters before the match.
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