G8 protestors clash with police and blockade roads

Hundreds of protesters clashed with riot police and attacked shops and other businesses ahead of the G8 summit in Scotland today.

The violence saw running battles being fought with police as groups of demonstrators smashed cars with iron bars and hurled bricks through the windows of a Burger King.

Around 200 hooligans dressed in hooded tops with scarves obscuring their faces hurled missiles at police officers and barricaded roads.

The major road through central Scotland, which leads to Gleneagles where world leaders were gathering today, was brought to a standstill as protesters staged blockades.

Auchterarder, the nearest town to Gleneagles, was sealed off by police after being targeted by protesters ahead of a march which will be attended by thousands of people.

Trouble erupted in Stirling in the early hours of the morning as protesters began moving from an “eco-camp” where they had been based for the last week.

Masked hooligans rampaged through residential areas, smashing windows and wrenching satellite dishes from walls.

Pictures broadcast on Sky News showed gangs of around 200 rioters running amok through streets and along major roads around the town – wielding weapons at police vans.

Banks and a burger restaurant on the Springkerse retail park were attacked by the groups, in echoes of May Day riots in London.

Glass windows along the front of the Burger King were smashed and wood, rubble and rubbish lay strewn across the road.

The walls were daubed with slogans such as “F*** BK + G8” and “10,000 Pharaohs Six Billion Slaves“.

Advertising signs were wrecked and a drive-through intercom system was uprooted.

One onlooker, who was involved on the fringes of the trouble, said protesters left the eco-camp at about 2.45am this morning in a bid to blockade the M9.

Three large groups of about 100 people each were involved.

He said: “We all marched into the retail park trying to get on to the motorway.

“Various skirmishes happened with police. Everyone was going round in circles getting lost.”

Groups including the Black Block movement, which was prominent in the Genoa 2001 riots, are thought to be involved in today’s violence.

It is believed that the gangs may include British, Italian, German and Spanish anarchists.

They are among hundreds of people who have gathered in the Stirling area for the past few days.

A spokesman for Central Scotland Police said “isolated incidents” had taken place since the early hours.

“Police officers have come under attack and two arrests have been made so far,” he said.

Police warned motorists to avoid the area as thousands of people left the eco-camp en route to Gleneagles.

There was major traffic disruption on the M9, which is the main link road between the central belt of the country and the north and passes Gleneagles.

A group of protesters could be seen lying on the road surrounded by police.

Around 30 or 40 demonstrators were taking part in the blockade and it is understood that other larger protests were taking place elsewhere on the road.

One protester said groups of anti-capitalists had been involved in running blockades with police on the M9.

The man, who did not want to be named, said small groups of protesters were closing sections of the road.

“There are several blockades on the road and as the police open the road, another group of protesters close it again,” he said.

“We are trying to get to the road but the police are everywhere.”

In the village of Braco, about 50 activists were stopped by police as they attempted to make their way along the main road towards Auchterarder.

ScotRail closed Stirling station for a period on the advice of police because of protests taking place in the area.

In Auchterarder, a number of people had begun to gather at the main park, from where the marchers will set off this lunchtime and where a rally is expected to be held by the G8 Alternatives campaign group.

Near the luxury Gleneagles resort, an airship with a CCTV camera system attached was monitoring security.

By 8.20am around 50 “eco-warriors” had blockaded a bridge between the town of Crieff, where American delegates are understood to be staying at a top hotel, and Auchterarder.

The group used tree trunks and branches to block either end of the bridge and held up a sign stating: “G8 Democracy has to wait.”

In Edinburgh at least 200 police encircled most of the main Exchange financial district, which includes the headquarters of the Clydesdale Bank, Standard Life and Scottish Widows, from about 6am.

Uniformed officers with small riot shields close at hand had closed off all the entry points to the area although workers were allowed to go through on foot.

It was the second outbreak of serious violence since protesters started gathering in Scotland ahead of the summit.

On Monday protesters clashed with police in Edinburgh, where dozens of people were arrested.