Day of resistance called for climate justice
Five protesters from Climate Camp Scotland have been arrested after they occupied the Ineos oil refinery in Grangemouth.
Activists had arranged a "day of resistance" at nearby Kinneil Park with banners calling for climate justice in Grangemouth.
An earlier demonstration saw 200 activists march from the Kinneil Park camp to the oil terminal a mile away.
Protesters say the Ineos plant is the country’s biggest polluter and creates around 2.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, according to figures from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).
Climate Camp organiser Jess Johannesson said: "We're protesting against Scotland's biggest polluter - by quite a margin - the Ineos site at Grangemouth.
"The camp is an opportunity for local community members, climate activists, industry workers and people who are concerned about the climate crisis to come together and think about how to move forward to a just future for everyone.
"Grangemouth is a perfect example of why the current energy system we have doesn't work for anyone except for CEOs of energy companies.
"Ineos made a profit of over £400m last year while the community in Grangemouth suffers from fuel poverty, with a huge petrochemical plant as their neighbour. It couldn't be any starker than that."
Assistant chief constable Emma Bond said: "A small group of protesters climbed onto the roof at Ineos. Officers engaged with the group and they were later safely removed.
"No arrests were made and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.
"In total following the protest in Grangemouth, five people were arrested for offences under Section 12 Public Order Act, Breach of the Peace and section 13 Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995."
An Ineos spokesperson said: “This is our home, where we operate a safe, sustainable business that serves the Scottish economy well, provides skilled jobs and essential products while meeting its climate responsibilities."
They continued: "We provide many of the basic raw materials that are essential to many of the products that we all use on a daily basis, from mobile phones, to water and gas pipes, to medical products, cars, buses and trains, tents, waterproofs and training shoes.
"Even wind turbines and solar cells need the products made here by thousands of skilled workers."
