Bedroom tax campaigner charged with allowing the Braveheart salute

A councillor has been charged by police after disabled campaigners raised their kilts to show the Conservatives at a party conference what they really thought of the hated bedroom tax. But Scotland’s finest did not see the funny side of the Braveheart salute – and have charged the protester they claim organised the stunt. They told councillor Alasdair MacPherson he knew in advance the campaign group DisLabeled would lift their kilts at the Albert Halls, Stirling, where Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove was speaking. He is also accused of failing to ensure protesters marched “four abreast”.



Alasdair – an SNP councillor with Stirling Council – hit out at police, saying they are targeting legitimate protesters rather than catching criminals. The 50-year-old said: “The pettiness of the charge beggars belief. Senior officers from Police Scotland are the ones who should be under investigation for wasting public money pursuing such trivial matters. For the police to suggest that I knew in advance that DisLabeled were going to lift their kilts is downright cheek. If this is all the police have to do with their time, we should all be very worried.” The 400-strong march took place on June 8, a day after Prime Minister David Cameron spoke at the conference. As protesters passed Albert Halls, four members of DisLabeled hitched up their kilts and flashed their bare backsides.



Although it’s understood the group were wearing “cheap thongs” at the time, police confronted them after the march but there were no arrests. However, they have now charged Alasdair with public order offences for allegedly allowing the stunt. A DisLabeled spokesman said: “As far as I’m aware, he had no prior knowledge about the content of our jovial activities, including the Braveheart salute.” Alasdair has been charged under the Civic Government Scotland Act and is accused of breaching a number of conditions of the protest. Police said other conditions breached include claims the march was “wider than four abreast” and Alasdair was not contactable by phone during the rally. If convicted, he could face up to three months in jail or a £2500 fine.



Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation chairman Tommy Sheridan said: “What the hell are Police Scotland up to? Have they no real crimes to deal with? This is politically motivated and represents a wider attack on the anti-bedroom tax campaign and the right to protest. Whoever dreamt this up really has made an arse of themselves.” Labour justice spokesman Graeme Pearson said police should have “more to bother them”. The MSP said: “If it’s intended as a warning to organisers to prepare their demonstrations properly, there would have been an easier way to do that.” A police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that a 50-year-old man has been charged and will be subject of a report to the procurator fiscal.”