POLICE Scotland have refused to release the number of pro-Palestine protesters arrested and charged this year, The National can reveal.
Following a Freedom of Information request, the force said it would not be able to provide the data because it did not have a central information system logging arrests.
Instead, Police Scotland claimed it would need to carry out a “case-by-case assessment of all officer notebooks”.
In July, three men were arrested in Scotland under new terror legislation for “showing support” for Palestine Action, a group proscribed by the Labour Government.
In the same month, more than 100 people protesting the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group were arrested across the UK.
Police Scotland claimed it was unable to release the number of pro-Palestine protesters they have arrested and charged because only people whom they arrest and take to their stations would have their details recorded in their National Custody System.
The force added that if someone is “de-arrested”, effectively released from police custody prior to their arrival at a police station, they would not have their details held electronically.
Police Scotland said in order to “collate comprehensive” arrest data, they would need to carry out a case-by-case assessment of all officer notebooks, and refused the request as it would cost more than the £600 threshold to process an FOI request.
Sean Clerkin, a pro-Palestine activist who submitted the FOI, has accused the force of “political policing” for their “masters in London”.
Clerkin was arrested in Glasgow in July for displaying a sign that read, “Genocide in Palestine Time to Take Action”, with the words Palestine and Action in larger letters.
He told The National: “Police Scotland in refusing to answer questions on how many pro-Palestine protesters are being arrested in Scotland and the costs involved is because it would show that they are deliberately targeting pro-Palestine activists in Scotland as opposed to those in Scotland who support the genocide in Palestine.
“Police Scotland are not policing by consent anymore and instead are engaged in political policing for their political masters in London.”
Clerkin added: “This is not acceptable and if they continue policing in this manner, Scotland within the UK will become authoritarian in the months and years to come.
“We must try to stop this through freedom of the press, such as the excellent coverage by The National newspaper at this time.”
Clerkin also requested that Police Scotland reveal the total cost of arresting and charging all pro-Palestine protest activists in 2024.
However, his request was also denied by the force as Police Scotland said: “There is no method to record how much it costs to arrest a person.”
The reply added: “Police Scotland does not routinely record the costs or policing hours associated with any specific operation, investigation, or incident.
“The nature of policing means that officers are deployed to wherever their services are most required, and the number of officers required throughout an investigation will constantly fluctuate. Officers can be involved in one or multiple investigations and can be redeployed to other duties at any given time.
“Additionally, officers will be drawn from different areas, based on their skill set and expertise, with the appropriate division meeting the cost of their core time.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of a Freedom of Information request and the appropriate response in line with the legislation has been provided.
“Police Scotland’s operational decisions surrounding the policing of peaceful protests, and any related arrests, will take account of relevant human rights standards.”
