Mass protest at summit ‘could look quite messy’
LARGE-SCALE protests at Cop26 could look ‘quite messy’ as police officers are given freedom to use physical force to break up violent demonstrations, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has warned.
He said yesterday that serious disorder or moves to prevent leaders from getting to the UN Climate Change summit would be met with ‘physical engagement’.
Thousands of climate protesters will descend on Glasgow from this weekend and activists have already threatened to cause major disruption.
In 2005 the G8 summit at Gleneagles saw running battles in the centre of Edinburgh as activists clashed with police.
Officers have been sent to Scotland from all over the UK to support the policing operation, which will be one of the biggest the country has ever seen with around 130 world leaders attending the summit.
Mr Livingstone also revealed he was in contact with MI5 over any terror threat. However, he said the current threat level for Cop26 was ‘moderate’, meaning an attack could take place, but is unlikely.
Speaking alongside First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a pre-Cop26 briefing, Mr Livingstone said those intent on violence will be dealt with ‘swiftly’ and ‘robustly’.
Specialist protester removal squads will be part of a 10,000-strong police presence to stop blockades aimed at preventing world leaders – including US President Joe Biden – from getting to the Scottish Event Campus summit venue.
There will also be an increased police presence near Grangemouth and in Edinburgh, over fears protesters could target industrial sites and consulates.
Mr Livingstone said: ‘We will protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest at Cop26, balanced against the rights of the wider community. But to those intent on violent disorder and damage, to those who seek to disrupt the climate conference actually taking place, I have a clear message – we will respond swiftly and we will respond robustly.’
Mr Livingstone added: ‘It may well look quite messy when you look at the visual images that are going to be created.’