POLICE Scotland have rejected Paul Sweeney's claim that the Glasgow constituency office of Labour MSPs was "stormed" by Gaza protesters, with the politician hitting back that it took officers 27 minutes to respond as staff were left "distressed".
Paul Sweeney posted on social media on Wednesday evening that the office was “stormed by protesters” during the day.
“Terrifying and threatening our staff,” he added.
“Staff who are working to help Glasgow constituents”.
The Glasgow constituency office of Labour MSPs was stormed by protestors this afternoon, terrifying and threatening our staff. Staff who are working to help Glasgow constituents.
— Paul Sweeney (@PaulJSweeney) February 21, 2024
Thanks to @policescotland for ensuring their safety.
The Speaker is right to try to calm this down. https://t.co/fvpbxDmHUs
However, Police Scotland has now confirmed it was not aware of anyone storming in or threatening Labour staff.
Police Scotland also said it was made aware of a "peaceful protest" that officers attended with no issues because the protesters involved left of their own accord.
When contacted for comment, however, Sweeney reaffirmed that it was a "deeply distressing ordeal" for parliamentary staff in the building.
“There is nothing polite or peaceful about 30 individuals forcing their way through secured doors by pushing a member of staff," he added.
"They made no attempt to meaningfully communicate with staff using the intercom to request to see anyone but instead barged into a secure office.”
The Labour MSP said that from the initial 999 call, it took 27 minutes for police to respond.
"Within that 27 minutes, protesters had stormed two secured doors and a member of staff was pushed by the protesters in their attempt to force entry to the office," he said.
“The building had to be evacuated, a building that houses several charitable organisations, including SAMH."
John Devlin, who was on the scene reporting for The Scotsman, also rejected the suggestion that the office was stormed.
He responded to Sweeney: "I can understand why your staff felt intimidated, Paul, but there was no forcing of doors, no storming. The door was held open as someone left the building and that's how entry was gained. What I witnessed was peaceful. The police delt with it well."
The Labour MSP’s initial post to Twitter/X was in response to a claim by the i newspaper’s senior political correspondent Chloe Chaplain saying she was told that Speaker Lindsay Hoyle’s decision to exceptionally allow a Labour amendment to the SNP’s Gaza ceasefire motion was “motivated by a desire to protect MPs from threats by offering a range of ceasefire amendments” and “attempting to diffuse a very hostile debate”.
The journalist said that she understood that “MPs went to him with concerns in the lead up to vote due to threats to themselves, families, staff”.
It comes as the SNP walked out of the House of Commons in fury after the decision made by Hoyle to allow a debate on a Labour amendment to an SNP motion.
Effectively, it meant that SNP MPs couldn't vote on their own motion. Instead, Labour's amendment was passed without opposition because deputy speaker Rosie Winterton declared "the ayes have it" without votes begin cast.
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