All charges against a Scottish Nationalist arrested after he unfurled a banner stating that “England Get Out of Scotland” at Edinburgh Airport, was dropped.
Sean Clerkin, 60 years old, and other members of Action for Scotland staged the protest last August to oppose the spreading of coronavirus.
This group was trying to dissuade tourists from visiting Scotland during a period when the infection rate in England was much lower than it was in Scotland.
The protestor also posed with the banner at the border, and at Glasgow Central Station, before he was arrested at his home in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, in September 2020 on suspicion of aggravated breach of the peace.
However, Clerkin stated that he was now ‘vindicated’ by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service who ruled against him.
When he received the court ruling on Tuesday, the nationalist called it a “waste of taxpayer dollars” and an “innocuous prosecution”.
Sean Clerkin, 60 years old, and other members of Action for Scotland staged the protest last August to oppose the spreading of coronavirus. (Pictured is Mr Clerkin holding an ‘offensive’ banner at Edinburgh Airport).
He said: ‘This has been a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“I’ve been through mental torture.
“I have waited for a year and a half with this above my head, but I’m innocent.
“It is unbelievable to me that they have put me through so much only to inform me at court, the case has been dropped.”
“I’ve been through months of stress because of this.”
Clerkin claimed that the arrest violated his right of protest.
In the charges sheet, it was stated that he had been accused of acting in a “threatening or abusive way, which would cause a reasonable individual to feel fear or alarm”, and that he also carried a banner with offensive and/or racial comments, contrary to Section 38/1 to Criminal Justice and Licensing Scotland Act 2010,
The banner was also subject to complaints from police, according to Mr Clerkin. It will not be displayed anymore outside of Glasgow Central.
He stated that he didn’t want to have to do it all over again. It’s like being harassed.
Pictured: Mr Clerkin claiming that his arrest for the sign violation violated his rights to protest
He stated that he was protesting to keep the Scottish people safe from Covid-19.
Police interviewed him and he said: “It’s not against the law for someone else to have a flag.
The banner was initially displayed in Edinburgh.
“That was at 2019’s SNP Spring conference.” It spoke the word “England”.
“It didn’t stipulate any hatred towards the race.”
Spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said that the Crown had a duty of reviewing cases and the Procurator Fiscal determined after careful and thorough consideration of all facts and conditions, there should not be any further proceedings.
“The Crown reserves all rights to continue in the future, should additional evidence be available.”