EU officials report SNP ‘Europe loves Scotland’ projection to police

Nicola Sturgeon had shared image suggesting EU had ‘left a light on for Scotland’

Jon Stone
Brussels
Monday 10 February 2020 15:40 GMT
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EU commission says it reported SNP projection of Belgian police

EU Commission officials reported a Brexit-eve stunt by the Scottish National Party (SNP) in Brussels to the police, the body has said.

A spokesperson said the projection of a “Europe loves Scotland” symbol onto the side of the Commission’s Berlaymont headquarters was not authorised and was “a matter for the Belgian police”.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon had promoted an image of the projection over social media, also suggesting that the Commission “appear to have left a light on for us” – a reference to allowing an independent Scotland to rejoin the EU.

But when asked on Monday whether the issue had been reported to the police, a spokesperson for the Commission told reporters: “I know that it was taken up with them.”

She said the Commission had “nothing to do with” the illumination and, explaining the move, said: “It is not the first time, actually – you may remember other instances in which third parties of all kinds projected illumination messages on the Berlaymont. This is something that is between those stakeholders and the Belgian police.”

The spokesperson added that the issue had been raised as part of “our ongoing discussions with the Belgian police, which is in charge of many aspects linked to the Berlaymont”.

The projection was reportedly carried out by a marketing agency and paid for by the SNP. It is not clear whether the Commission has alleged that a crime has been committed.

The news comes on the same day as Ms Sturgeon visits Brussels to deliver a speech on Scotland’s future relationship with the EU.

Asked about the projection at the speech, the first minister said nobody from the Belgian police had spoken to her about the issue.

“The only comment I’ve had here today has been entirely positive about what seems to have been interpreted as a really positive show of love and solidarity from Scotland to Europe,” she said.

“I’ve not met anybody at all upset by it. It’s quite a common way of sending a message.”

On the issue of EU membership, she said the Scottish government would try to work constructively with the UK government “despite our pessimism over the direction of travel”.

“We will continue to stress the value of having a close trading relationship,” she said, adding that the “only possible reason” a country would want to diverge from EU rules would be if it wanted to adopt lower standards.

“Ultimately when Scotland achieves independence I believe the case for us joining the EU will be an overwhelming one,” she said.

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