Police were called to remove pro-Palestinian protesters from a First Minister John Swinney event at the Edinburgh Fringe after multiple disruptions. Mr Swinney was speaking with comedian Susan Morrison when six different groups of demonstrators interrupted the show five times.
The protesters held up signs that collectively spelled the word "genocide" and demanded action from the First Minister. Tensions escalated between the demonstrators and other audience members as the event continued.
Police intervention required
Three police officers were called to the venue to manage the situation. Mr Swinney's security team was forced to keep people back from approaching the stage where protesters were berating the First Minister.
The demonstrators shouted at Mr Swinney to stop funding arms companies through Scottish Enterprise, the Government's commercial arm. They also demanded he describe the ongoing crisis in Gaza as a "genocide".
First Minister remains silent
Throughout the protests, the First Minister sat quietly and did not respond to the demonstrators' demands. The event continued despite the repeated interruptions from the pro-Palestinian activists.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
