Hibs ban Block Seven for three games after Tannadice clashes
Hibernian have barred their ultras group Block Seven from their next three matches after clashes with police and stewards at Tannadice.
The Edinburgh club confirmed the punishment after Saturday's Scottish Premiership defeat away to Dundee United, according to BBC Sport. The Scottish Premiership is Scotland's top flight.
The ban covers two home games at Easter Road, against Falkirk and Celtic, plus an away trip to St Mirren. Easter Road is Hibernian's home in Leith, Edinburgh. Hibernian said the sanction was discussed with the Scottish Professional Football League, the body that runs Scotland's top divisions.
Trouble flared in the away end at Tannadice, Dundee United's home ground in Dundee, during the game on 10 October. The fixture was listed for Saturday 10 October on Dundee United's ticket pages, according to Dundee United. Visiting supporters were involved in confrontations with police officers and stewards. That match was Marink Reedijk's first in charge as Hibernian head coach. It ended in defeat.
Block Seven are Hibernian's ultras, an organised group of vocal supporters known for flags, banners and constant chanting, as described by the Edinburgh Reporter. They gather together to drive the noise from the stands. Their absence will be felt and heard.
This is not a first warning. Hibernian handed the group a one-match ban from Easter Road earlier this season for pyrotechnics use and "general unacceptable conduct", as reported by Yahoo Sports. Pyrotechnics, such as flares and smoke bombs, are banned from Scottish grounds over safety fears. The new punishment stretches across three fixtures, home and away.
There is a wider picture. Police have charged 10 more people over disorder after Hibernian's away match at St Johnstone last month. That case is separate from Tannadice. It still adds context to the club's stance on supporter behaviour.
Hibernian say their investigation into the events at Tannadice is ongoing. No further detail has been released while that work continues. The club will continue to work with supporters, Police Scotland and Dundee United.
For fans heading to Easter Road, this means a quieter home end for Falkirk and Celtic. For Reedijk, it means starting life in the dugout without the group's vocal backing. What makes this stand out is how quickly a new manager's first week has turned to questions off the pitch. The next step rests on what that investigation finds.
