Braehead: Police press statement

Mr White complained to the police about the incident in Braehead.

In his statement he set out a set of circumstances that has caused widespread debate, comment and criticism for those who he alleged were involved. Mr White chose to make his complaint public, to give interviews to the media and to seek debate on social networks. It is because Mr White chose to seek publicity for his account of events we feel compelled to take the unusual step of making our findings public.

In reaching our conclusions, officers took statements from a number of independent witnesses and viewed the substantial amount of CCTV that was available in the centre.

When our officers became involved they did not confiscate any items, nor was Mr White questioned under counter-terrorist legislation. It is wrong to suggest that the police spoke to Mr White because he claimed he had been photographing his daughter, or that officers made any reference to counter-terror legislation. Mr White knows, or ought to know, why our officers spoke with him.

People have been very quick to offer their opinions on this issue and were very keen to accept Mr White’s story as the only evidence that was available.

None of the independent and objective evidence presented to us by either the members of the public or the CCTV backs up the claims made by Mr White.