Police seize weapons as skirmishes break out at Climate Camp protest

By Shaun Milne, Martin Graham, Christine Lavelle & Amanda MacMillan

HUNDREDS of climate change protesters clashed with police after a tense stand-off at the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters in Edinburgh descended into sporadic violence tonight (mon).

Dozens of officers dressed in full riot gear formed a human shield around the £335 million complex at Gogarburn to face down eco activists from Climate Camp.

Shortly before 6pm pockets of protestors began throwing missiles and using catapult to fire objects onto the police front line.

Much of the arsenal appeared to include nothing more than water balloons filled with brown sticky liquid and cans of Silly String.

But chillingly, officers also seized heavy mesh hammers, tools and a coal chisel from members of the group who had earlier wreaked havoc on Edinburgh.

Barricade

After a three hour stand-off with police at Gogarburn, a small group of protesters ran down to the forefront, where a makeshift barricade had been put up, cutting down branches of trees to ease their way.

Loud booms could be heard as the brown balloons hit off office windows, before spilling out their brown liquids.

Heavily armoured police brought out shields to stop the missiles hitting their targets.

Climate Camp activists arrested in day of protests across Edinburgh

By Shaun Milne, Christine Lavelle, Amanda MacMillan & Martin Graham

CLIMATE change activists were accused of being “reckless” after launching a wave of protests against the Royal Bank of Scotland today (mon).

Hundreds of protestors from across the UK gathered in Edinburgh to target bank buildings across the city.

But the Climate Camp group were blamed for potentially putting lives at risk when a busy road was coated in what was thought to be vegetable oil.

And they were also accused of earlier wielding hammers and firing missiles at police in the build up to today’s tense stand-off.

Speaking at RBS HQ police superintendent Lesley Clark said police strategy towards protesters changed after her officers were subjected to claimed violence on Sunday which left several windows at the HQ smashed.

She said: “A group of protesters were throwing missiles and some were wielding hammers.

“This means that we are now dealing with anti social behaviour rather than peaceful protest, and we will respond appropriately.

“There seems to be an element who are determined to wreak havoc, we will be working to protect the public and maintain order.

“We have drafted in officers from most Scottish forced and there is a substantial police presence on site.”

However protestors said they had remained peaceful throughout and denied the claims.

Kevin Smith from the Climate Camp Group said: “Some people pushed past the police to get access to the site – but I didn’t see missiles or hammers used.”

Police spend thousands on mobile cells for female arrests

By Andrea McCallum

A SCOTS police force is spending £765,000 on mobile cells after a surge in the number of drunken female arrests.

Strathclyde Police said they are running out of room because of a rise in the number of drunk and violent women being nicked.

The force has lifted twice as many women as four years ago and as a result is buying 10 portable cells.

Scots policeman named one of the UK’s top cops

By Rory Reynolds

A SCOTS bobby has been named of UK’s top cops for nicking more than 400 villains in one year.

Motherwell copper Rob Brown, 40, – dubbed Robocop by locals – scored second on the UK’s list of top law enforcers, after cleaning up the streets of his home town.

The Strathclyde Police officer – who has been walking the beat for 19 years – arrested 434 suspects in just twelve months.

He came just behind Sergeant Ali Livingstone, from Ipswich, who made 524 arrests in the same year – a staggering three per day.

Brave PC Brown previously worked with London’s Metropolitan Police, earning a total of five commendations, one for bravery and another for stopping a young man from committing suicide.

He then returned to Scotland in 1997, working in Coatbridge, Wishaw and Motherwell.

And Rob reckons that his zero tolerance policing and targeting of low-level crime has helped his community have faith in the police.