Protesters clash with police in Buckie over sex offender

A crowd clashed with police outside a home in Buckie, Moray, on Tuesday evening, March 31, hurling fireworks and flares at officers in a standoff that extended into the early hours of Wednesday. The confrontation occurred at a semidetached property on Buckies Well Road, where protesters had gathered to demand the removal of a convicted sex offender.

The unrest began on Sunday, March 29, when locals first assembled outside the residence, voicing concerns over the occupant's presence in the neighborhood. A smaller group returned on Monday, March 30, prompting a police response. Tensions peaked on Tuesday as more people joined, chanting phrases such as "No peace for a beast" and "Get the beast out now." Officers in riot gear, equipped with batons and shields, arrived to manage the situation, but the crowd threw items including flares and fireworks toward police and the property. Several police vehicles were vandalized during the disorder, which police described as the third such gathering in the area since the weekend but the first to turn violent.

No serious injuries were reported, though the actions posed risks of fire or damage to nearby properties. A 45-year-old man was...