Thu, 16 May 2024
Pro-Palestine protestors and police clash outside Thales in Govan, Glasgow (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)
The conduct of Police Scotland at a protest in Glasgow has been described as "astonishing and shocking" after a journalist was threatened with arrest.
Pro-Palestinian protestors blocked the entrance to the Thales factory in Govan in protest over arms sales to Israel, before the picket was broken up by police.
Xander Elliards of our sister title The National was threatened with arrest after being told he was being "obstructive to the police" while covering the events.
The journalist was standing on a public street around 100m from the protest and said "I was threatened with arrest and manhandled for doing my job, as far as I can tell".
In response NUJ Scotland called the altercation an: "Astonishing and shocking confrontation. Journalists need to be free to go about their work without interference from Police Scotland.
"We will be following up on this to ask why police officers apparently are unaware of the law."
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “During the protest an officer engaged with a journalist and asked him to move away from an area where officers were taking part in an operational briefing. Officers provided advice and guidance and no further action was taken."
It follows criticism of the way the force handled the protest, with demonstrators accusing them of heavy-handed tactics in breaking up the picket.
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As previously reported by The Herald, Police Scotland were accused of creating "fear and panic" as they made several arrests.
One of the protestors told The Herald: "The picket started at 5am and finished around lunchtime when police violently intervened and arrested some of the protestors.
"With no provocation, police violently broke up one of the pickets and made arrests. The police should be there to maintain public order but what they did was incite fear and panic, and physically hurt people without provocation.
"What we went through today, while upsetting and unnecessary, was nothing compared to what people in Gaza have been facing every day for over 7 months, and the unquantifiable suffering of Palestinians under occupation for 75 years. Stop the chain of killing: Free Palestine."
Police said that three men aged 18, 28 and 29, and a 21-year-old woman were arrested and charged during the demonstration.
The force said six officers were injured, including one who sustained a bite to the arm.
Two officers were said to have attended the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, one of whom was discharged after treatment while the other remains there for further assessment, police said.
Chief Inspector Derrick Johnston said: "When policing any protest our priorities are to ensure the safety of protestors, the public and police officers involved as well as preventing criminal behaviour or disorder and deescalating tensions.
"We are committed to protecting the rights of people who wish to protest, however when this is not done peacefully, officers are required to maintain public order and will exercise their powers of arrest if necessary".
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