POLICE have cut a section labelling anti-fracking campaigners as domestic terrorists from their annual plan.
The 2017/18 plan sparked a row as fracking protesters were included under the heading "domestic extremists".
Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie raised the issue at Holyrood, saying the campaigners are "heroes" and questioning the treatment of peaceful demonstrators.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said peaceful campaigners should not be considered extremists.
READ: Police Scotland brand fracking opponents 'domestic extremists'
Now a senior Police Scotland official has written to the Scottish Parliament's Justice Sub-Committee on Policing to confirm the 2018/19 annual plan has no reference to fracking campaigners under the heading domestic extremists.
Detective Chief Superintendent Gerry Mclean wrote: "The Police Scotland Annual Police Plan for 2017/18 did contain the following commentary: 'There continues to be protests around shale oil and gas extraction and unconventional oil and gas extraction, and unconventional oil and gas extraction, both commonly referred to as 'fracking'.'
"This paragraph was contained within a wider and diverse section of the annual police plan under the heading of Domestic Extremism.
"Police Scotland does not consider any form of lawful and peaceful protest to constitute domestic extremism; however, we accept that from a presentational perspective a misinterpretation of this position may have been given from the way this small section of the annual police plan was worded and presented.
"No such reference is contained in the current Annual Police Plan for 2018/19."
Sub-committee convener John Finnie welcomed the confirmation.
He said: "The right to lawful and peaceful protest is an integral part of our society.
"Law-abiding citizens who wish to protest peacefully should not have to be concerned about the threat - perceived or real - of being labelled a domestic extremist.
"Changing the wording in the annual police plan to remove this inference is exactly the right thing to do."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel