Police officer in hospital after breaking up fights on Meadows
A police officer was taken to hospital with facial injuries after responding to reports of mass gatherings and fighting at a beauty spot in Edinburgh.
The officer was injured in the Meadows on Saturday after police were called to deal with mass gatherings and sporadic fights.
A video, shared widely on social media, taken by Scottish rapper JAAD and posted on his Instagram page shows police breaking up the fights by wrestling people to the ground.
At one point, a man has a glass bottle smashed over his head by someone he had been fighting with.
David Hamilton, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said: “Police Officers didn’t write these health regulations but for the last year we have been asked to enforce them for the protection of all. Public hostilities towards the restrictions were foreseeable and have been growing for some time.
“Yesterday in Edinburgh, one of our members was hospitalised with a facial injury, and countless other unvaccinated officers were put at risk, for simply doing their jobs to keep others safe.”
Chief Inspector Sarah Taylor of Edinburgh Police Division said: “We are aware of the extent of the disorder seen in the Meadows this weekend and we absolutely condemn this.
“Hundreds of people were moved on or dispersed from the area. Three people have so far been charged in connection with anti-social behavcouncil
iour and a serious assault, and we are working to trace others involved in various incidents.
“In particular, we’re eager for anyone who saw a 22-year-old man being attacked around 7:30pm in the Middle Meadow Walk area, and also a 17-year-old man being seriously injured in the park around 6:40 pm, to come forward. “Be assured that there will be a continued police presence at The Meadows over Easter and the coming weekends. We’ve
been working with the council and are committed to tackling these issues together, both in the immediate future and long-term. There will be zero tolerance.”
Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South, said police and the council should come up with an action plan to deal with trouble on the Meadows and the mess left behind from large gatherings.
He tweeted: “It’s a huge thank you to all the volunteers &
staff who cleaned up the Meadows again last night. We need an action plan from the council, police, govt, retailers to resolve the mess, violence, residential streets being used as a toilet & significant impact on local area.”
Council leader Adam Mcvey yesterday condemned the scenes in the Meadows and praised the efforts of local residents and council teams in clearing up the mess left behind.
He said: “This behaviour was simply disgraceful. I want to thank the local residents for the great community spirit they showed by picking up litter and our street cleansing teams who were out early clearing everything up.
“We’ll continue to work closely with Police Scotland to keep our parks safe for all to enjoy and remind everyone to be responsible.”