Chief Constable satisfied with police response seen in viral video
Officers attended a house in Aberdeen after calls of a possible breach of covid rules - the video has since been shared on social media.
Last updated 8th Jan 2021
Scotland's chief constable said at the daily briefing the police responded proportionately when they were called to the house in Aberdeen.
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said three arrests were made over alleged violence and disorder on Wednesday evening.
Speaking at the Scottish Government's coronavirus briefing on Friday, Mr Livingstone and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged people to be cautious when viewing such footage.
Mr Livingstone said he had been briefed on the incident but he has asked for a full review of the circumstances.
He said: "As things stand at this time, I'm satisfied about the legitimacy and the proportionality of the police response."
He said he was limited in what he could say for legal reasons, adding: "Police did respond to concerned calls from members of the public about what appeared to be an ongoing house party.
"Officers then attended at the address that had been identified and at that time spoke to the occupants.
"Now what's come out of those circumstances is that three adults have been charged with crimes of violence and crimes of public disorder."
Saying the incident was also recorded by police body cameras, the chief constable continued: "I would urge everybody to exercise caution when you see a partial coverage of a particular incident.
"Do not read into things that you can't see and do not make inferences that are not clearly there.
"I don't think it's fair to everybody involved and it does generate concern which may not be legitimate."
He said John Scott QC, the human rights lawyer who is reviewing Police Scotland's use of new coronavirus powers, will also look into the incident.
Ms Sturgeon said that in general, "all of us these days know that we have to take some care when looking at things on social media, just remembering that things often don't look exactly as the reality is".
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "We received a report of an ongoing party in breach of coronavirus regulations at a property on Fonthill Road, Aberdeen, around 11.20pm on Wednesday January 6.
"Officers attended and two women aged 18 and 48 and a 43-year-old man were charged in connection with assaulting police officers and threatening and abusive behaviour and will be reported to the procurator fiscal."
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