POLICE Scotland has reassured MSPs that it does not consider anti-fracking protesters to be “domestic extremists” after criticism of the force at Holyrood.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie last week raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions, saying it was shocking” people he regarded as “heroes” would be labelled this way.

Nicola Sturgeon also rejected the idea that peaceful fracking protesters were “extremists”.

In its annual plan for 2017/18, Police Scotland included the protestors under the heading Domestic Extremism (DE), normally associated with the extreme far right.

It said: “There continue to be protests around shale oil and gas extraction and unconventional oil and gas extraction, both commonly referred to as ‘fracking’.

“In 2017/18, we will continue to closely monitor individuals and groups that are involved/ suspected to be involved in the DE arena and explore all opportunities to disrupt and detect their activities.”

But in a letter to Holyrood’s justice sub-committee on policing, Police Scotland said it did not consider anti-fracking protesters extremists and blamed the poor presentation of its report.

Detective Chief Superintendent Gerry McLean, who is responsible for work on organised crime and counter terrorism, said: “Police Scotland does not consider any form of lawful and peaceful protest to constitute domestic extremism; however, we accept that from a presentational perspective a misinterpretation of this position may have been given from the way this small section of the Annual Police Plan was worded and presented.

"No such reference is contained in the current Annual Police Plan for 2018/19.

“Police Scotland has a duty to ensure that lawful protest activity is policed in a proportionate manner, with the primary aim of ensuring the safety of the public. We will always do this first and foremost through dialogue and engagement.”

Green MSP John Finnie, the sub-committee convener, welcomed the clarification.

He said: “The right to lawful and peaceful protest is an integral part of our society. Law-abiding citizens who wish to protest peacefully should not have to be concerned about the threat - perceived or real - of being labelled a domestic extremist.

"Changing the wording in the Annual Police Plan to remove this inference is exactly the right thing to do.”