The weekend’s shocking events at Tynecastle would have been covered differently if Celtic fans had been involved.

One of the most incredible things to emerge from the weekend is how the media brushed aside the appalling incident involving Adam Idah at Tynecastle. Instead of addressing it with the seriousness it deserved, they turned it into a punchline, in part because Idah himself made light of it. But let’s be clear: nothing about what happened at the weekend at Tynecastle was remotely funny.

There’s a persistent problem within a section of the Hearts support that mirrors some of the worst elements we see in their Glasgow counterparts. It’s a toxic faction, steeped in Orangism and loyalism, dragging their club into the gutter. What happened with Idah is merely the tip of the iceberg, and it wasn’t the only shameful incident at Tynecastle this weekend that should raise serious questions about what’s going on with that club and its fanbase.

Cast your mind back to when Neil Lennon was receiving death threats, bullets in the post, and being attacked in the street. The only places that seemed remotely safe for him were football stadiums—except, notably, Tynecastle, where he was physically attacked on the touchline. People seem to forget that this happened in Edinburgh, not Glasgow.

Then there’s the infamous 2021 incident where someone at Hearts actually played The Sash over the loudspeaker before a match. It was that incident which came to mind when the story broke this weekend about their big screens displaying a picture of Michael Stone, the loyalist paramilitary who attacked mourners at Milltown Cemetery.

There’s an old adage: once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. And when it comes to Hearts, the pattern is glaring. It’s no surprise that far-right figures like Tommy Robinson view Tynecastle as fertile ground for recruitment. This is a club whose fans have been caught engaging in racist chanting multiple times in recent years. One of their own players publicly stated he left the club because he was subjected to racist abuse by his own supporters.

All of this is a matter of public record. Yet, somehow, we’re supposed to believe that incidents like this weekend’s are unrelated? Those of us who follow this closely know better. These events are part of a bigger, deeply troubling picture.

There’s a faction of the Hearts support that is ultranationalist and reprehensible.

Denying it is foolish; refusing to confront it is cowardly. And yet, instead of serious discussion, our media cracks jokes about it.

What happened to Adam Idah was not funny. Neither was the decision to display Michael Stone’s image. It was an outright provocation aimed at Celtic supporters—an indefensible, despicable act. Are we honestly expected to believe that the person responsible can’t be traced? That Hearts’ procedures for approving such images are so lax that this could happen? If it’s really as simple as tweeting a request and uploading an image, why aren’t we hearing weekly stories about Hibs fans submitting cheeky photos of Derek Riordan or other petty pranks? The idea that this was some innocent slip-up is ridiculous.

Where is the SFA on this? Where is the SPFL? Incidents like these demand immediate and unequivocal action. The Michael Stone image wasn’t the result of random fan behaviour—it was displayed through the actions, or negligence, of a club employee. That makes it a matter for league and governing body scrutiny. A coin being thrown at a player once sparked national headlines and statements from clubs. So why is this being treated differently?

Above all, the media’s response—or lack of it—is disgraceful. These same outlets spent days savaging Celtic fans for singing during a minute’s silence. Some even attempted a debate about whether or not or fans were intolerant. Yet when Hearts fans engage in blatantly provocative or disgraceful behaviour, it’s swept under the rug.

If this had been Celtic, the pressure on the club would be relentless. Brendan Rodgers would be hounded to comment on it at his next press conference.

So, will anyone in the mainstream media have the guts to ask the Hearts manager about these incidents? Will they challenge him on what his club is doing to address this or what measures should be taken to prevent it happening again?

If the suggestion seems unfair—because managers just want to talk football—so what? It wouldn’t stop the media if it were Celtic. Rodgers is asked about everything from fans singing to the occasional flare or smoke bomb. Why should this be treated any differently?

This is serious. It deserves a serious response. It’s about time our media treated it that way.