Cone-troversy? World Cup statue prank wearing out its welcome

Residents of Edinburgh’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are calling for the removal of “eyesore” traffic cones placed on top of historical statues. Members of the Old Town Community Council say the orange cones—linked to a long-running prank tradition from Glasgow—have turned Scotland’s busiest tourist district into an “embarrassment,” especially after the World Cup. They argue the practice has spread during the Tartan Army craze, after images of statue-coning in Boston and Miami went viral. Heritage bodies warn the trend risks damaging monuments. The council wants stray cones and related signage removed, and temporary railings and cones at the High Street junction replaced or taken away.