More G8 cases dropped
19 Sep 05
Police tactics questioned after prosecutors drop cases against protesters
Police tactics have been criticised after it was revealed that the Crown Office will not be prosecuting some of the G8 summit protesters.
The case against four men and one woman who were due to appear at Perth Sheriff Court today on charges of breach of the peace is thought to have cost taxpayers thousands of pounds in legal costs. A second case against four Belgians has also been dropped.
It is believed that prosecutors decided that proceeding with the cases would be too expensive because many of the arresting officers had been brought in from English forces and they would need to be brought back to Scotland to testify.
Aamer Anwar, the spokesman for the G8 Alternatives group, said he estimated that about 100 people arrested during the week of the G8 summit have had their cases dropped. He has called for an inquiry into police tactics.
Kenny MacAskill, the SNP justice spokesman, said questions needed to be asked about why protesters were not simply told to stay away after spending a night in the cells.
A spokesman for the Crown Office said there had been no policy decision to drop G8 cases en masse. Commenting on the Perth cases, he said: "Having considered all the facts and circumstances, the procurator fiscal decided that it would be appropriate to discontinue proceedings in these particular cases."
A total of 358 people were arrested across central Scotland during the summit after clashes between police and protesters in Edinburgh, Stirling and at Gleneagles.