Police call for referendum ‘common sense’

The run up to the Scottish Independence Referendum in Orkney has been marred by claims of vandalism and verbal abuse from campaigners on both sides.

The Orcadian has, in the past week, been contacted by supporters from both the Yes and No camps with allegations that signs on private property have been defaced, vandalised, and in some instances, stolen.

Others have been in touch to say they have been subjected to verbal abuse while out on the campaign trail, mirroring events on the Scottish mainland.

Inspector Gordon Deans from Kirkwall Police Station said the number of reported incidents was small, and appealed to both sides to take a common sense approach.

He said: “We recognise this is a significant event and that emotions are running high on both sides.

“We will take a proportionate response. People are entitled to express their views, but where property is being damaged, and there is potentially criminal behaviour, then we will investigate it as we would do with any crime.”

Insp Deans added: “Clearly it is a very small number of people doing this, and generally the campaigning from both sides has been very fair in the run up to the referendum, so we’re just appealing to the public to be sensible, allow people the freedom to express themselves, and not overstep the line.”