Three arrested as police launch probe into weekend protests across Edinburgh

Police confirmed two people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act after protesters displayed signs in support of the banned organisation Palestine Action at a demonstration in Edinburgh.

A “No to the Far-Right” protest, organised by Stand Up To Racism Edinburgh, took place at the Scottish Parliament on Saturday, with protestors starting to gather from 11am.

A Force For Good, in association with WeSayItPodcast, held a second Enough is Enough rally, also outside the Scottish Parliament, from 12pm on Saturday.

Many also displayed support for Palestine Action, a group that was banned by the UK government under terrorism laws earlier this year.

The protest came after warnings from Police Scotland that showing support for the organisation is an offence under the Terrorism Act.

Two men, aged 67 and 82, were arrested in connection with the Terrorism Act, while a 63-year-old man was arrested in connection with a hate crime.

Police said that enquiries remain ongoing into a number of offences relating to the Terrorism Act and that evidence is being reviewed with further action expected.

Chief Superintendent David Robertson said: “While these protests were conducted peacefully and largely without incident, there were a number of offences identified relating to the Terrorism Act. Substantial evidence of these offences was gathered at the time which will form the basis of a post incident investigation.

“Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation and our role is to ensure public safety while balancing the rights of protesters who wish to peacefully demonstrate.

“Policing in Scotland has strong relationships with the public and we are grateful for the ongoing support of our communities.”

Stop the War Scotland, the organisers of Saturday’s demo in Edinburgh, said the “the contrast between the conduct of Police Scotland in Edinburgh with the heavy-handed intervention by truncheon-wielding police arresting Defend Our Juries volunteers in London creates an absurd inconsistency”.

The group added that this showed the “unviability” of legislation which has been “denounced by campaigners as a scandalous authoritarian attack on the right to protest”.

As the demonstration took place, anti-immigration campaigners also staged a separate protest in the capital.

Among the Union flags at that event, outside the Scottish Parliament, was one emblazoned with the words “Stop the Boats”.

However, the campaign group Stand Up to Racism Scotland said that there were three times as many people at the counter protest it arranged.