COP26: Five arrests as hundreds march in Glasgow

Five activists have been arrested in Glasgow as hundreds of police officers were deployed to contain protesters.

Scuffles broke out during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration outside the SSE energy company as two activists tried to force their way into the building.

They were stopped by private security and police officers, but locked themselves to each other outside.

Police said other arrests were made following "assaults" on officers who had paint sprayed in their faces.

Gary Ritchie, Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland, said the officers received first aid at the scene before opting to return to the operation, which he described as "very effective" and "very well planned".

ACC Ritchie said most protesters had been "fairly compliant" as the operation continued into Wednesday evening, with police "in negotiations" with the group about their intentions.

"They have told us they would like to proceed to another part of the city and we have agreed to that," he said. "But for public safety reasons we will be escorting the protestors as they make their way to that location."

Flares were also set off earlier outside the offices of investment bank JP Morgan on Waterloo Place. Extinction Rebellion said marchers were later "kettled" on St Vincent Street for two hours.

The actions were part of a wider protest targeting companies the group accuse of "green washing", with campaigners also objecting to the planned new Cambo oil field, off Shetland.

It is believed to be the biggest protest crowd so far during COP26, with an estimated 400 people attending the start of the march in Buchanan Street, before a smaller group moved to an area of the city where many banks and financial companies are based.

Eyewitness: Cameron Buttle, BBC Scotland reporter in Glasgow city centre

"For about two hours a group of about 150 protesters have been moving through the streets of Glasgow.

As soon as a police cordon goes up, they dive down alleyways to avoid them.

Police are moving hundreds of officers around just to contain the protest group. It feels like a game of cat and mouse.

Traffic has been stopped, people were stuck in shops. It has not been easy but it feels like the group have finally been contained."

The demonstration came on the anniversary of the Queen inaugurating the flow of North Sea oil in 1975.

Friends of the Earth Scotland, along with the campaign groups Platform and Stop Cambo, took part in the event on Wednesday.

ACC Ritchie said police "will protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest at COP26, balanced against the rights of the wider community".

He added: "We will provide a proportionate policing response to any protest and violence will not be tolerated.

"Assaults on officers, who put their safety at risk every day to keep the public safe and have adopted a facilitative and rights-based approach to protest, is totally unacceptable."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said an environmental review of the new Cambo oil field should be carried out before extraction begins.

The UK government's Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has backed the project, saying Cambo is "priced in" to the UK government's plans to reduce emissions.

Rosemary Harris, of Platform, said there should be no new investment in oil and gas.

She said: "Any new oil and gas production is continuing to support a declining industry. There's a lot of talk about it being important for jobs, but they should be creating pathways for workers outside oil and gas."

Inside the conference hall, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak promised to cut carbon emissions by rewiring the "entire global financial system".

He said the plan would help persuade firms investing in fossil fuels to instead put their money into green energy and technologies.

About 450 of the world's biggest banks, insurers and pension companies, which control about £100 trillion, have signed up.

More than 100 world leaders were in Glasgow for the first two days of the COP26 summit but most have now left, leaving delegations to continue the negotiations.

US President Joe Biden flew out on Tuesday night after a two-day visit.

The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.