A man has been arrested in connection with a deliberate fire near Ibrox Stadium which saw an up-and-coming Scottish band’s van be broken into and set alight, destroying all the equipment.
Hò-rò, a young and energetic traditional-folk group from the Highlands, said they had been left “absolutely heartbroken” in a statement to fans on Wednesday.
The group added: “Last night, somebody broke into our van and set it on fire.
“We have worked very hard to get to where we are at the moment. We saved up as much as we could to buy the van and good equipment so that we could sound as good as possible.
“Our musical instruments that were in the van were priceless...thanks to a desperate criminal act.
“At this point, we don’t know what’s been taken or what survived.”
Harrison Drive at Ibrox Stadium
A Police Scotland spokeswoman has since said officers received a report of a van on fire in Harrison Drive at 4.15pm on Wednesday, September 6.
She said: “Officers attended the scene and a 47-year-old man was arrested.
“He is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court.”
Despite the incident, Hò-rò pledged to their fanbase that their gigs “will still continue” with a “massive help” from Scottish folk bands Heron Valley and Trail West lending equipment.
The group’s fans were quick to lend their support, as a fundraising page was quickly set up by gig promoter EPL Events. So far, it has raised over £2,600.
The concert organiser said: “I was disgusted to read a post on Hò-rò's Facebook page tonight that some evil and heartless thing not only broke into their van but set it on fire?
“That vehicle and its contents are their livelihood.
“Please help this great young band get back on their feet. We were lucky enough to have Hò-Rò play for us. So please take the time to contribute something, anything, to keep this young band’s dream alive.”
One fan said: “Can’t believe what I’m reading. What’s wrong with people these days? Chin up guys, I’m sure everyone will have you up and running very shortly.”
Another added: “That’s horrendous. There are horrible people in the world. See you at Tarbert and I’m sure you’ll still sound fab.”
After releasing their debut album in the summer of 2016 - which proved successful - Hò-rò quickly become ones to watch on the Scottish music scene with their unique energetic tune arrangements and vibrant stage presence.
Thanks to a strong social media presence, Hò-rò have gone down a storm on social media over the past year and have since debuted in Germany, France, and Belgium having also added two more members to the group.
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