Holyrood launches legal bid to recover land from camping independence supporters

The Parliament lodged the petition at the Court of Session yesterday in an attempt to recover the land occupied by campers after they began gathering last month.

Court officers handed the campers the petition this morning.

They have been told to reply by January 7 to Holyrood’s action to recover the land from them – including their entitlement to occupy it.

A spokesman for the Scottish Parliament said: “We recognise the importance of peaceful protests in a democratic society.

“However, by seeking to occupy this land on a long-term basis, and refusing our request to vacate, we have had no alternative but to commence legal proceedings to return the land to wider public use.”

Bosses at the Parliament have raised concerns about the scale of the People’s Voice camp and its message given Holyrood’s “politically-neutral position”.

Earlier this month, Scottish Parliament chief executive Paul Grice said: “The protesters have made it clear that they intend to camp indefinitely on Parliament land without permission and will not consider alternative options such as the organisation of a series of one-day protests outside the building.

“There are many ways groups and individuals can engage with the Parliament and make their views known.

“However, the occupation of a public space on an exclusive basis and to the exclusion of others is not a precedent that the corporate body wishes to see established.”