Conspiracy theorists spark police warning

Guide: Authorities slam photographing of ballot papers and following vans

Police and election officials have issued warnings after conspiracy theorists urged voters to photograph ballot papers and follow vans to count centres.

Advice sent to polling stations came after radical nationalists, who believe the independence referendum was rigged, laid out instructions to followers.

The online guide to “Operation Scallop” advises people vote between 9 and 10pm, when polling stations close, take a photo of their ballot paper, “hang about outside” and photograph the van carrying ballot papers before potentially following it to local counts.

It also tells people to be “polite and courteous” to any police officer and “comply with their legal requests without exception” but adds the instruction: “Do not act too suspicious”.

It says: “The postal vote sampling will tell them how badly they’ve lost, we need as many eyes as possible watching vans and ballot boxes.”

Formal warnings were sent from Scotland’s electoral management board to returning officers in all 32 local authorities to watch for queues forming and for any disruption or threatening behaviour at polling stations.

After taking advice from the Electoral Commission, staff and police have been told to ban voters from using cameras in polling stations.

The official advice says: “With respect to following vans, the issue here is not one of electoral law but of laws with respect to the use of the public roads.

“The police should be involved if you have any concerns about the safety of your staff either in polling places, during the transport of boxes or at the count.”

Chief Superintendent Jim Baird, the Police Scotland commander overseeing polling night operations, confirmed the force was aware of the online instructions.

He said: “I would like to assure the public that appropriate policing and security arrangements will be put in place to ensure the election process runs smoothly.”

An SNP spokeswoman said: “We are entirely satisfied that the referendum was a gold standard in terms of the robustness of the democratic process, popular engagement, and a result which accurately reflected the votes of the people.

“We are equally satisfied about all the arrangements for the general election.”

Picture: PA. Police say security arrangements will be put in place to ensure the election process runs smoothly.