By Alan Richardson

TAYSIDE ASSISTANT Chief Constable Willie Bald, speaking after the disturbance at Gleneagles had been quelled, said that in the main, those who came to represent G8 Alternatives and the aims of the demonstration conducted themselves in a peaceful fashion.

“What we have seen follows on from scenes across the central belt of Scotland with a determined group of people intent on causing disruption.

“Tayside Police, along with our colleagues from across the UK have planned for this type of incident and the officers involved have put their training and professionalism into practice and are to be praised for their response under considerable provocation.”

For organisers, it was a disappointing end to what had been a largely triumphant day.

The main march itself, although delayed, passed off without incident and a minute’s silence held at the security cordon by the first marchers was observed impeccably. As promised, no property was damaged and no residents were harassed.

G8 Alternatives solicitor Aamer Anwar praised the largely peaceful nature of the march, but criticised the few who had tarnished what looked liked being an incident-free afternoon.

He said, “Obviously I am far from delighted with a small minority of people, because the media concentration will now be on their pulling up of the fencing.

“The vast majority of the march took place in a carnival atmosphere and was very peaceful.

“The people of Auchterarder should be happy. It was put about that shop windows would be broken, people would be assaulted. Protesters were demonised, and this has not happened.

“There could have been as many as 15,000 people here today and they were clapped along the streets by the local people.”

The carnival atmosphere was aided by a victory earlier in the day over police chiefs who sought to ban the march at the 11th hour for “security concerns.”

A morning of frantic negotiation took place, with G8 Alternatives consistently insisting the march would go ahead.

Mr Anwar claimed it was the culmination of months of police interference in their aims and protesters refused to accede to demands for a smaller protest involving just a few hundred people.

Mr Anwar said, “I think it was outrageous that the police tried to cancel the march.”

Mr Bald defended the decision. “I believe it was the right decision to cancel the march based on concerns for public safety. When significant numbers of people, unaware of this, had gathered in Auchterarder, and following negotiations with organisers, we assessed the balance of public safety was in favour of agreeing a modified event.”