News Story

Police have advised the public to avoid an area of Greenock in Scotland due to “protest activity” following disorder in Belfast.

A police statement said: “We are aware of ongoing protest activity in the Main Street area of Greenock. Officers are in attendance and the public is advised to avoid the area.”

Demonstrations were held in several locations across Scotland on Wednesday following a stabbing attack in north Belfast.

Sudanese man Hadi Alodid, 30, has appeared in court charged over the attack, with the 44-year-old victim, Stephen Ogilvie, said to have lost an eye as a result.

Police Scotland spoke to the media in Fife on Wednesday after three men, one aged 31 and the others aged 18, were arrested following unrest in Glasgow.

The largest demonstration, which took place in Glasgow, involved approximately 250 people.

Speaking to the Press Association on Wednesday, First Minister John Swinney said the protests were “ill-advised”.

He said: “What I would say to people this evening is that under no circumstances should they take part in protests or in violent disorder within our society.

“There is, of course, a democratic right to protest in our society but at this particular moment it is ill-advised because of the circumstances that were perpetrated last night by violent thugs, and that type of behaviour has no place in Scottish society and it will be tackled by Police Scotland, and they have my full support in so doing.”