Police Scotland say Nicola Sturgeon will face 'no further action' on face mask row
Advice given to First Minister after weekend complaint
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will face no further action after entering a barber shop without a mask on, Police Scotland has confirmed.
Footage circulated at the weekend of the SNP leader inside the premises in East Kilbride.
She said she had been invited indoors whilst campaigning in the town on Saturday and "after a few seconds of being in the shop" she realised she had forgotten to put her mask on, after which she "immediately" did so.
A complaint was made to the single force, which has now released a statement on social media. It said: "Local officers have spoken to the First Minister to remind her of the importance of wearing a face covering when there is a legal requirement to do so.
"Given the circumstances of this incident, Police Scotland is satisfied that no further action is necessary. This is in line with our proportionate approach throughout the pandemic."
The legal requirement to wear face coverings indoors lifted today. However, their use is still encouraged by the Scottish Government.
Sturgeon said: "On Saturday, while campaigning outdoors in East Kilbride I was invited into a local barber shop. After a few seconds of being in the shop, I realised I had forgotten to put my face covering back on. I then immediately put it on.
"However, I accept that not wearing a face covering even for a few seconds was an error on my part and I am sorry for that.
"Having received complaints about the matter, Police Scotland made contact with me. This is what they would have done with anyone else in these circumstances, and they were absolutely right to treat me no differently to any other citizen. I explained that the error was inadvertent and the police have confirmed that the matter is closed.
"While the law no longer requires face coverings to be worn, I will continue to do so in circumstances where this can help reduce the risk of infection, and I encourage everyone to do likewise."
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