THREE protesters have been arrested and charged at a demonstration against an Israeli player’s participation in the World Bowls Indoor Championship in Aberdeen.
Members from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) gathered outside the Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club’s ground in protest against Israel’s Boaz Markus's taking part in the tournament.
Earlier this month, the group had called on the World Bowls to withdraw Markus's invitation to the event as they accused Israel of sportswashing.
Video and pictures shared on SPSC Aberdeen's social media pages showed protesters chanting outside the indoor arena while holding Palestine flags and placards calling for an end to Israel’s genocidal conflict in Gaza, ahead of Markus’s match at 1pm on Sunday.
On Sunday, police said two people had been arrested and that "enquiries are ongoing".
In an update on Monday, police confirmed another person had been arrested and charged in connection.
A spokesperson said: "On Sunday, 20 April, 2025, officers attended a pre-planned demonstration on Summerhill Road in Aberdeen. Two women aged 57 and 63, and a 56-year-old man were arrested and charged.
"A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal."
She said she was proud to join protesters at the demonstration and that it showed solidarity with the people of Gaza while standing up to Israel's war crimes.
Chapman said: “Sport is meant to be for everyone, but Israel is a racist apartheid state, built on denying even the most basic human rights to people under occupation.
“I was proud to join today's protest against Israel's systematic repression of Palestinians and the normalisation of war crimes.
“Sporting and cultural boycotts were an important act of solidarity against the apartheid regime in South Africa, and are an important act way of standing with the people of Gaza.”
Chapman added: “The police response today has been totally disproportionate. Protest is not a crime, but genocide is and we all have a responsibility to stand against it.”
In a video shared by the campaign group, Show Israeli Genocide the Red Card, two protesters were seen interrupting the tournament as they entered the playing field shouting "free free Palestine" before they were escorted out by police.
Ahead of the international tournament, which runs from April 20-25, Action Network called on the Scottish Government to intervene if World Bowls failed to rescind Markus' invitation to the tournament.
A statement online read: “We call on World Bowls to immediately withdraw its invitation to Israeli player Boaz Markus, set to compete in the Scottish Indoor Bowling International Open on April 20th to 25th at the Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Centre.”
It added: “Given the implications about the apartheid nature of the Israeli state issued in the ICJ opinion on 19th July 2024, the Scottish Government is duty bound to defend the integrity of the Gleneagles Agreement and ensure that no sporting ties take place with athletes from countries with apartheid sporting policies.
“This duty required from the Scottish Government supersedes any decision taken by tournament organisers World Bowls to invite the nationals of the apartheid state. If World Bowls does not comply with its obligation under the ICJ to rescind its invitation to Boaz Markus, then the Scottish government must intervene!”
World Bowls CEO, Neil Dalrymple, said: “We respect the right for people to protest whilst we hope that they will respect the right for World Bowls to stage this competition without disruption inside the venue.”
