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Police have confirmed that 20 arrests were made after yesterday’s incident involving protesters at the Ineos tanker terminal in Grangemouth.

Environmental activists from the group This is Rigged blocked the gates early in the morning by sitting in front of them, stopping tankers from entering or leaving. Members of the group also entered the site and sat on top of pipeline and a tanker.

Police first removed those sitting in front of the gates before trained officers used a hoist and pulley system to bring those on the pipeline and tanker back to ground level.

At the same time, members of the group targeted Rothesay Dock in Clydebank.

Police prepare to remove protesters from the tanker at Ineos terminal, bringing them down via a hoist and pulley system. Pic Michael Gillen

The group posted on social media: “Grangemouth supplies 90 per cent of Scotland’s oil. We have stopped oil leaving this site, as well as Nustar Terminal in Clydebank. We have no plans to stop.

“Groups of people are currently occupying pipework and a fuel silo and blockading terminal gates, while another group has immobilised a car park full of tankers at the Grangemouth facility. No fuel can leave the sites while they are occupied.

“The action is the first in a sustained series of actions, in which the group has vowed to shut down the Scottish oil industry.”

The group called on the Scottish Government to implement a just transition for oil and gas workers “instead of assisting billionaires like (Ineos owner) Jim Ratcliffe”.

Last night, Ineos said it had mobilised its incident management team and were working with Police Scotland, “prioritising the safety of all those involved”.

A spokesperson added: “Our manufacturing operations remain unaffected and we can now advise that the road terminal has reopened with restrictions in place due to access and egress limitations.”

Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said: “Twenty people have been arrested and charged for offences under section 68 of the Public Order Act and breach of the peace at the INEOS site in Grangemouth on Wednesday.

“Decisions about how to police protests require us to balance complex and often competing rights and issues. We have a legal duty to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest.

“The guiding principles of policing protests are the safety of protestors, the public and police officers involved, preventing criminal behaviour or disorder and deescalating tensions.

"A small group remains gathered at the oil terminal at Rothesay Dock in Clydebank and officers are currently in attendance.”

Police Scotland make 20 arrests following protest at Ineos tanker terminal in Grangemouth