Scottish football fans have ignited a nationwide traffic cone prank on historic monuments following the Tartan Army's World Cup takeover in Boston, sparking strong opposition from conservationists and local officials over public safety and potential structural damage.
The trend stems from a decades-old Glasgow tradition where late-night revellers repeatedly placed cones atop the Duke of Wellington monument on Queen Street.
The practice spread globally during recent sporting events and has now triggered a surge of similar incidents on landmarks throughout Edinburgh, Dumfries, Inverness, and Lerwick.
In Edinburgh, contractors recently removed a cone from the Duke of Wellington monument on Waterloo Place, while social media footage showed individuals climbing the David Livingstone statue.
Local leaders expressed concern that the trend devalues the cultural significance of the capital's heritage sites.
"I think I would much rather it stayed the other side of the M8," said Jo Mowatt, Edinburgh city centre councillor.
The local representative further criticized the visual impact of the stunts on historical figures.
"I wouldn't tell Glasgow what they should and shouldn't do, that's up to them, but in the middle of where it's happening, in Edinburgh, it's just totally inappropriate," Mowatt said.
Community groups warned that these pranks create significant financial and physical risks for the city.
"We love a bit of fun, and we want Edinburgh to be a vibrant, enjoyable place to live.
But there’s a real difference between harmless pranks and putting our city’s treasured landmarks at risk," said Shaun Hodge, New Town and Broughton community councillor.
Hodge noted that unsecured cones present falling hazards and require expensive removal processes.
"A five-minute laugh with a cone on a statue can mean months of expensive restoration work, or worse, someone getting seriously hurt climbing to place it, or a cone blowing off in the wind and injuring a passer-by," Hodge said.
He urged the public to protect the landmarks and report new sightings to authorities.
"Our iconic monuments like the Scott Monument and the Sherlock Holmes statue aren’t just decorations; they’re part of what makes Edinburgh special," Hodge said.
The official advised residents against continuing the practice on culturally vital figures.
"We’d ask people not to put cones on any of our statues, but especially those that matter culturally and historically.
And if you do spot a cone on something important, please report it through Edinburgh City Council’s website so it can be safely removed," Hodge said.
Heritage groups added that old architectural structures are not built to withstand the physical stress of being scaled.
"Edinburgh's monuments have always inspired affection as well as admiration, and a sense of humour is part of city life.
However, these are important historic structures, many of them listed, and they were never designed to be climbed on," said James Garry, Assistant Director of the Cockburn Association.
Garry stated that council resources are being diverted from long-term preservation to deal with frequent cone removal.
"The concern isn't really the traffic cones themselves, but the damage and safety risks that can result from people scrambling over monuments to put them there or remove them," Garry said.
He appealed to the public to celebrate sporting events without endangering historic architecture.
"We would encourage everyone celebrating to do so in ways that don't put either themselves or Edinburgh's historic environment at risk.
Our monuments have survived for generations and, with a little care and respect, they'll continue to be enjoyed for generations to come," Garry said.
Government administrators echoed these safety anxieties, noting that loose traffic cones threaten public thoroughfares.
"Whilst I’m sure these have been put up in good humour and with the best intentions, we need to consider the safety of the public above all," said Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, Edinburgh Council Transport and Environment Convener.
Jenkinson asked the public to leave the tradition exclusively to its original home.
"Unsecured traffic cones could potentially cause injury or present a road safety hazard, which is why they’ve been removed.
I think we can all agree that there is only one statue in Scotland that has truly immortalised the cone, so I’d urge people to not attempt any imitations," Jenkinson said.
However, some cultural analysts believe the commercialization of the symbol in Glasgow has watered down its rebellious roots.
"It started off in a proper 'us v them', tit for tat thing between the people and the council," said Alistair Heather, historian and tour guide.
Heather argued that integration into corporate branding stripped the prank of its authenticity.
"Where I think it got really brutally unfunny was, once the Commonwealth Games in 2014. It got gentrified," Heather said.
He pointed out that corporate adoption made the symbol feel commercialized rather than organic.
"All the corporate hotels in Glasgow would all have stencils of traffic cones on the wall," Heather said.
According to the historian, this widespread marketing signaled the end of the subculture's genuine appeal.
"Once that happens, I think the thing is flat dead," Heather said.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that recent football celebrations have revitalized the tradition among fans.
"I've fallen right back in love with it as a folk image," Heather said.
He anticipated that the enthusiasm would persist through upcoming international sports fixtures.
"It's the signature of the Tartan Army. It's World Cup fever and I think that will die down," Heather said.
He expressed a desire to see the prank travel to major rivals in future matches.
"But I would love to go and cone London next time we play at Wembley," Heather said.
The phenomenon has officially extended to the northernmost parts of Scotland, with Shetland Webcams capturing a traffic cone placed on a lamppost at the Market Cross in Lerwick, alongside another sighting on a bus shelter in Scalloway.
