Environmental campaigners ask Nicola Sturgeon to protect the right to protest

Environmental campaigners wrote to Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon asking her to intervene to ensure the right to protest was upheld during COP26, when as many as 10,000 police officers from all over the UK were deployed per day on the streets of Glasgow. The letter said the police were reportedly filming campaigners, eavesdropping on conversations, unlawfully demanding personal details, and in one case followed a group to where they were staying even though no protest was in progress. The writers also asked Sturgeon to ensure all police forces operating in Scotland don't target protest organisers for surveillance, arrest, and punishment, and don't abuse stop and search powers, among other things. Both Police Scotland and the Scottish government responded that they would provide a proportionate police response to any protest.

https://www.thenational.scot/news/19695520.cop26-nicola-sturgeon-urged-intervene-policing-protests/
Writer: Abbi Garton-Crosbie

Publication: The National
Publication date: 2021-11-04