Activists demand apology over oil slick accusation

Published on 29/08/2010 18:14

Activists have demanded an apology from police today after suggestions protesters were responsible for what appeared to be an oil spill on a busy road.

Members of the Climate Camp protest deny they caused the slick on the A8 Edinburgh-Glasgow road near the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters last week.

The incident flared during wider disruption which caused bank branches to close and forced staff at the Gogarburn HQ to work at home.

Activists poured a molasses-based substance outside another premises in the city and super-glued themselves to RBS sites.

During the protest, Lothian and Borders Police said a substance appearing to be vegetable oil or diesel had been poured on to the main road, linking it to the protest camp. It prompted condemnation from politicians who accused activists of putting the public at risk.

A spokesman from the Climate Camp said: "We do take direct action against the causes of climate change and the severity of the climate crisis sometimes necessitates breaking the law. However, our actions have always been targeted at climate criminals - banks, corporations and governments - and have never aimed to endanger the public."

No-one from Lothian and Borders Police was available to comment.

Last week, Councillor Iain Whyte, convener of the police board, said climate change protesters who broke the law should pay for some of the estimated 100,000 bill for policing the demonstration.