SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 23/09/05
Scottish Socialist Party MSP Carolyn Leckie today attacked the policing of the G8 in July as a “monstrous waste of public money” and repeated her demand for an enquiry into the police operation that saw Scotland turned into a police state in the first week in July.
Carolyn spoke out after it was revealed that just five of Scotland’s eight police forces had run up overtime bills of more than £11 million for policing the G8 summit in July and that did not include the Tayside force.
Carolyn said;
“Very serious questions continue to go unanswered about the police operation that resulted in Scotland being turned into a police state in the first week in July.
“To those questions must now be added that of the cost of the police operation.
“If the overtime bill is currently standing at £11 million for just some of the Scottish forces involved I shudder to think what the total bill will be when those forces from outside Scotland are included.
“At the time the G8 protestors repeatedly said that the police acted in a completely heavy handed manner and that appears to be the case with charges dropped against 100 of the 358 arrests,.
“There must now be an enquiry into the police operation around the G8 summit.
“What was the total cost of the police and security services operation?
“Who was in control of the rampaging squads of riot police which brought violence and mayhem to the streets of Edinburgh on July 4th?
“By what authority did police demand to view unbroadcast television footage shot by the BBC and STV of the events in Edinburgh on July 4th prior to being granted a warrant to do so ?
“These questions must now be answered and the SSP and other G8 protest organisations will not rest until they are.”
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