Police 'ready' for more G8 unrest

Police say they have been planning for the summit for 18 months

Tayside Police say they are confident that protests during the G8 summit will be peaceful but have warned that trouble will be "robustly dealt with".

Assistant chief constable Willie Bald said the summit represented the culmination of 18 months of "detailed planning" by the force.

He said police aimed to ensure a safe summit while enabling lawful protest.

A protest march by G8 Alternatives will be held near the Gleneagles Hotel on Wednesday, the first day of the summit.

Mr Bald, Tayside Police's strategic commander for the summit, said the force was well-prepared for the week ahead.

"Our aim is to ensure the summit is safe so the leaders can get on and talk about the issues that are important to everyone," he said.

We've spent 18 months planning this and we're very confident we have everything in place to deal with what might happen Willie Bald Tayside Police

"We want the people who live here in Auchterarder to be able to go about their daily lives as much as possible. We will deal with lawful protest and any unlawful protest.

"We've spent 18 months planning this and we're very confident we have everything in place to deal with what might happen."

Referring to the trouble in Edinburgh, Mr Bald said it was a good example of a police force in Scotland being "well-prepared" to deal with a minority of troublemakers.

Police tactics

"Clearly, throughout the summit, we will see a similar response if that's required," he added.

Tayside Police chief constable John Vine said the force had enjoyed a good relationship with the G8 Alternatives group.

However, he added: "If we encounter people who are prepared to use violence to achieve their aims and break the law then we will take robust action.

"We will arrest them and put them before the courts."

The head of the G8 policing co-ordination centre defended the tactics used by officers to tackle violent protests in Edinburgh on Monday.

Police in Edinburgh were praised for their response during the violent clashes

Chief constable Peter Wilson said police had repeatedly asked those planning protests to discuss their plans with senior officers beforehand.

"I don't think anybody would doubt that Monday was going to be a challenging day," he added.

"We have consistently said we will respond robustly, and that's what we have done.

"If the worst images of the week are those that we saw yesterday, then I think the summit will go off peacefully."

Mr Wilson said he expected the police's intelligence gathering process to lead to more arrests on top of the 100 so far following the violent protests in Edinburgh.

He also said 500 officers were being drafted in from England and Wales to help police the events in Auchterarder.

Police have begun stopping and searching vehicles entering the Perthshire.

A group of officers pulled over a van driven by protestors on the High Street searching it and questioning the occupants.

Police 'magnificent'

Edinburgh City Council leader Donald Anderson praised police for their "magnificent" response during the clashes.

He said: "There is no doubt in my mind that, had it not been for the police, things could have been a lot worse.

"We're very lucky there weren't any serious injuries or fatalities.

"You don't support democracy by lifting a park bench and throwing it at a young man or woman in a police uniform."

Live 8 organiser Bob Geldof said he believed police handled the disturbances well.

Speaking after boarding a train to London from Edinburgh for Wednesday's Live 8 concert, he said the majority of protesters did not want to become involved in violent clashes, adding "we're there for something different".

The Scottish Prison Service has revealed it has "contingency accommodation" for people arrested during the summit.

A spokesman said Perth Prison's C Hall, which holds a minimum of 150 people, is one of several locations which could be used.

Strathclyde Police have deployed high-visibility road and foot patrols in Glasgow in case protestors try to cause disruption in the city.

The increased police presence will focus on the Kingston and Erskine Bridge areas.