John Swinney has said an anti-immigration protest in his constituency has been “deeply unsettling” for his family.
The First Minister said the demonstration in Perthshire had caused the local community “enormous distress”.
Four men were arrested after the protest in Blairgowrie on Saturday, May 2.
First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney with his wife Elizabeth and son Matthew at the election count in Perth (Jane Barlow/PA)
Asked about the incident at a press conference on Saturday, the First Minister said: “The events that took place in my own constituency last Saturday have caused enormous distress within the community that I have the privilege to represent – real distress – and they’ve also had quite significant implications for my family as well, which has been deeply unsettled by this.
“I am limited in what I can say, because there have now been arrests made in relation to that incident, but let me just say how unsettled we have been as a family by what’s happened in recent days, and that’s shared by many of the people that I represent and who witnessed what happened in a very quiet and placid, welcoming, inclusive community that I have the privilege to represent.”
Police Scotland said: “Four men aged 58, 48, 44 and 33 have been arrested and charged in connection with threatening and abusive behaviour following a protest in Blairgowrie.
“The protest took place on Saturday, May 2. The men have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.”
Police said they had been expected to appear at Perth Sheriff Court on Thursday, May 7.