Twenty people arrested in Grangemouth climate protest

This Is Rigged protesters staged a protest at the Ineos site near Falkirk

Twenty people have been arrested and charged after police launched an operation to remove climate protesters at Grangemouth petrochemical plant.

Officers used a crane and specialist climbing equipment after several This Is Rigged activists scaled oil tankers and climbed on pipework on Wednesday.

Other protesters blocking gates at the site were taken away in police vans.

This Is Rigged also staged a smaller protest at the Rothesay Dock oil terminal in Clydebank.

Ineos said production at the Grangemouth refinery, near Falkirk, was unaffected but a tanker terminal had been shut as a precaution.

Police Scotland confirmed the 20 arrests and said they had been charged for offences under section 68 of the Public Order Act and breach of the peace at the Ineos site.

A spokesperson added that a small number of protesters remained at the oil terminal in Clydebank on Thursday and officers were at the scene.

Police Scotland used a crane to remove protesters at Grangemouth

This Is Rigged said, in a statement posted on social media: "We are shutting down the oil industry in Scotland to demand that the Scottish government steps up and says no new oil, and implements a fair transition for workers."

They added: "We have no plans to stop."

Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said: "Decisions about how to police protests require us to balance complex and often competing rights and issues.

"We have a legal duty to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest.

"The guiding principles of policing protests are the safety of protestors, the public and police officers involved, preventing criminal behaviour or disorder and deescalating tensions."

The demonstrations came three days after Climate Camp Scotland activists "occupied" the Ineos gas power station, which powers the Grangemouth refinery.

Police Scotland said five people had been arrested following the protest.

Protestors climbed on to tankers at the gates

Grangemouth pumps out about 2.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, according to figures campaigners obtained from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).

An Ineos spokesperson said emissions had declined by more than 40% since it bought the site in 2005.

They said: "We have a robust roadmap in place that will deliver on our commitments to be a net zero manufacturer by 2045.

"Our products and their applications are helping others to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions too."