Climate protesters spray Scottish Parliament building red

Climate activists have sprayed part of the Scottish Parliament building red in a protest against the Prime Minister announcing plans for 100 new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.

Protesters from the This Is Rigged pressure group sprayed the entrance red.

The group said on Twitter: “(The Scottish Government’s) silence on new oil and gas is deafening. They must vocally oppose all new oil and gas, or they are complicit.”

An attached video shows activists covering the front of the public entrance in a red substance, including the sign above the door.

This Is Rigged said four of their activists were involved.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of protesters at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh shortly after 1.40pm on Tuesday August 1.

“Officers are in attendance.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Parliament said: “These protesters have repeatedly targeted the Scottish Parliament and its democratic functions.

“As a result of their actions today, we have had to cancel our free public tours and close the building earlier than scheduled.

“Up to 1,000 people visit Holyrood a day at this time of year, and many will have been severely inconvenienced – not just those who had booked on to tours but other members of the public who wish to visit and engage with their national Parliament.

“This is now a matter for Police Scotland.”

In April, two women were arrested after throwing red paint on to an external wall of the Parliament building as First Minister’s Questions was under way inside the chamber.

The paint was quickly cleaned from the side of the building by staff using a water jet.

Authorities at Holyrood recently brought in extra security measures to try and prevent FMQs being disrupted by repeated protests from the public gallery.