Twenty protestors arrested after demonstration outside oil refinerys in Grangemouth and Clydebank

Twenty people, including a 72-year-old woman, have been arrested after climate protesters blocked the entrances of two Scottish oil refineries.

Activists from This is Rigged claimed to have stopped oil leaving the Ineos plant in Grangemouth and the Nustar Terminal in Clydebank during demonstrations on Wednesday.

Protesters were pictured blocking the front gate of the Grangemouth facility, while others scaled oil tankers or occupied pipework within the facility.

Police Scotland confirmed that 20 people – 11 women and nine men – were arrested at the Ineos site in connection with breach of the peace.

Officers also said that a small group of protestors remained gathered at the oil terminal at Rothesay Dock on Thursday.

Assistant chief constable Emma Bond said: “Twenty people have been arrested and charged for offences under section 68 of the Public Order Act and breach of the peace at the Ineos site in Grangemouth on Wednesday, July 19.

“Decisions about how to police protests require us to balance complex and often competing rights and issues. We have a legal duty to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest.

“The guiding principles of policing protests are the safety of protestors, the public and police officers involved, preventing criminal behaviour or disorder and deescalating tensions.

“A small group remains gathered at the oil terminal at Rothesay Dock in Clydebank and officers are currently in attendance.”