Police release G8 protest images

View the images on the Lothian and Borders police website

Police have released pictures of people involved in the G8 protests in Edinburgh in July in the hope the public can identify them.

Lothian and Borders Police have put the pictures of 31 men and women involved in protests on their website.

The anti-globalisation Carnival for Full Enjoyment demonstration took place on 4 July, two days before the G8 leaders arrived in Scotland.

Officer have spent hundreds of hours trawling CCTV footage for the images.

They also seized media images of anti-G8 protesters fighting violent battles with police in the centre of the city, which was brought to a standstill for six hours.

The G8 summit took place in Gleneagles in Perthshire from 6 to 8 July, during which time leaders of the world's eight most powerful nations discussed development in Africa and global climate change.

This is not a case of police being vindictive but concentrating on those people whose criminal activity marred an otherwise peaceful week of legitimate demonstration Malcolm Dickson Lothian and Borders Police

During a week of protests linked to the G8 summit, there were 129 arrests made by police around Edinburgh.

So far 99 people have appeared in court in connection with various disturbances, 20 of whom have been convicted.

Since the protests, a Lothian and Borders Police team has been working to identify other suspects not arrested at the time.

'Laborious process'

Detective Inspector David Gordon, who is heading the investigation, said he hoped the new photographs would result in more names being given to the police.

He said: "It's been a laborious process for the officers having to view hour after hour of CCTV footage but it shows we will not give up in our bid to find those responsible.

"These were serious disturbances in Edinburgh city centre and it is our duty to track down those responsible and bring them to court.

Police and protesters clash in the centre of Edinburgh

"Some of the people featured in the photographs are very clear we just need a name to put to the face."

Malcolm Dickson, deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police, added: "We hope issuing these images will prompt a positive response from the public who were rightly appalled at the scenes they witnessed in the city centre in July.

"This is not a case of police being vindictive but concentrating on those people whose criminal activity marred an otherwise peaceful week of legitimate demonstration.

"Edinburgh and the officers who policed the events are still proud of the way it was facilitated."

Anyone with any information about people shown in the photographs should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131-311-5916 or send an e-mail to [e-mail]