Pro-Palestine protesters target John Swinney's Edinburgh Fringe show
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Pro-Palestine protesters have targeted John Swinney's Edinburgh Fringe show.
The First Minister was on stage in conversation with Susan Morrison on Saturday when demonstrators in the audience stood up holding placards spelling out the word 'genocide'.
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John Swinney was on stage at the Stand in Edinburgh when the protest took place
Mr Swinney was on stage at the Fringe when the protest unfurled.
The show was able to continue before protesters interrupted for a second time.
More to follow.
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Scottish First Minister John Swinney has described the ongoing crisis in Gaza as a 'genocide' after a Fringe show he appeared at was repeatedly disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters. Police were called to the Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh after the First Minister was interrupted seven times by six different groups of protesters during a conversation with comedian Susan Morrison. The protesters urged the First Minister to describe the crisis as a genocide and stop state funding for arms companies. Speaking to journalists after the event, the First Minister said: 'It's quite clear that there is a genocide in Palestine – it can't be disputed. 'I have seen reports of terrible atrocities which have the character of being genocide. PA Media First Minister John Swinney appeared on stage with comedian Susan Morrison 'I've expressed that and obviously it's not reached all those individuals, but that's my feeling.' The Scottish Government has also been criticised for – while not funding directly the manufacturing of munitions – providing money for apprenticeships at firms which build weapons. But the First Minister said the Government's commercial arm, Scottish Enterprise, has the 'strictest assessments imaginable about the purpose and the use of public expenditure in companies that may be related to defence industries'. Pushed on providing money for staff who could potentially build munitions, the First Minister added: 'We're trying to enable companies to diversify their activities, that's the purpose. 'That's why the due diligence checks are applied and they are applied unreservedly.' Throughout the show, groups of attendees stood up, holding signs which spelt the word 'genocide', and heckled the First Minister. PA Media Police were called in to remove pro-Palestinian protesters from the event As the event continued, the interruptions became more forceful, before two groups stood at the same time, angrily shouting at the First Minister and chanting slogans such as 'call it genocide'. Members of his security team stood in front of the stage, stopping protesters from approaching the First Minister, before three uniformed police officers arrived at the venue to usher the protesters out. During the tense exchange, which lasted several minutes, a number of the crowd – who were not protesting – appeared to be in tears. A final disruption came from one woman in the crowd, who asked the First Minister why he had not responded to her letter about heavy metal band Disturbed playing at the Hydro in Glasgow. The band's lead singer, David Draiman, has been criticised after being pictured signing an Israeli bomb. The woman asked the First Minister why he did not speak out on Disturbed playing at the city's biggest venue, when he said it would be inappropriate for Irish band Kneecap to play the TRNSMT festival after comments members of the band had made about Tory MPs. The First Minister said his comments on Kneecap had come due to questions from the media and he 'didn't particularly' want to speak about the band earlier this year, adding that he did not want to choose what art people do and do not consume. The woman became increasingly angry with the First Minister's response and was eventually dragged from the venue by a police officer, whom she branded a 'thug'. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
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Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupt Fringe event featuring John Swinney
Police have been called in to remove pro-Palestinian protesters from an event with First Minister John Swinney at the Edinburgh Fringe. Mr Swinney was speaking to comedian Susan Morrison when the event was disrupted five times by six different groups of protesters who held up signs that spelled the word 'genocide'. As the event went on, tensions rose between the protesters and other members of the crowd, with three police officers called in and the First Minister's security team forced to keep people back from berating Mr Swinney on the stage. The protesters shouted at the First Minister to stop funding arms companies through the Government's commercial arm Scottish Enterprise, as well as to describe the ongoing crisis in Gaza as a 'genocide'. The First Minister sat quietly during the protests.
