Police chief scotches G8 security men reports

[struggle4progress]

Tayside’s Chief Constable, who will be controlling one of the largest demonstrations ever seen in the UK when the G8 summit begins next week at Gleneagles, today scotched reports there will be an army of gun-toting and possibly trigger-happy security men guarding their own world leaders, writes James Rougvie.

But John Vine said there would be hundreds of Scots policemen armed with automatic carbines and sidearms with an armoury sited at the hotel, although he ruled out the use of water cannon, rubber bullets, stun guns or tear gas on protesters.

However, there was a veiled warning that the police would use their full powers to prevent protesters getting close to the summit leaders or even the ring of steel which now surrounds one of Scotland’s most opulent venues. <snip>

At the weekend, there were alarming reports that security staff attached to most of the world leaders would be allowed to tote a fearsome array of firepower, some of whom would be from countries with little experience or toleration of mass demonstrations, leading to speculation that they might open up if protesters managed to breach the inner sanctum of Gleneagles. <snip>

http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/output/2005/06/27/story7276784t0.shtm