Cowgate Edinburgh: Major road locked down as huge police presence swarms street

What happened?

Cowgate, a major road in Edinburgh, was locked down on Saturday evening as a large police presence swarmed the street. Police Scotland confirmed that they were responding to an ongoing incident, but no further details have been released at this time.

Road closures and diversions

The road was closed in both directions between George IV Bridge and the Pleasance, with traffic being diverted via alternative routes. Several buses were also diverted due to the road closure.

Witness accounts

Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a large number of police officers, including armed officers, in the area. Some witnesses also reported hearing a loud bang, but this has not been confirmed by the police.

Police statement

In a statement, Police Scotland said: "We are currently dealing with an ongoing incident on Cowgate, Edinburgh. The road is currently closed in both directions and a large police presence is in the area. We would ask the public to avoid the area at this time."

Further updates

We will provide further updates as they become available.