At around 2pm on Monday the 20th, at least one block on Princes Street was evacuated due to a suspected bomb being found outside the Scottish National Gallery.
With one of Edinburgh’s busiest streets coming to a standstill on Monday afternoon, bomb disposal teams were spotted at the scene after a suspicious package was found outside the gallery, which was one of the first buildings in the area forced to evacuate and shut.
Located near The Mound, the Scottish National Gallery is home to a world-class collection of surrealism and attracted around 1.6 million visitors every year prior to the pandemic.
The gallery tweeted that they were closing due to an “issue on site”, however, they were able to reopen on Tuesday morning after the Edinburgh division of Police Scotland confirmed that EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) technicians examined the package and confirmed it was not a danger to the public.
The Student reported live from the scene on Monday, as around 23 Lothian buses, tram services and bus services connecting Scotland’s main cities, were diverted away from the area. The Mound was also shut to traffic and pedestrians in both directions for more than two hours. All traffic and services have now resumed.
Emergency services were also spotted at the scene whilst police cordons were put in place and shops along Princes Street were swiftly evacuated.
Colby Abomnes, a second year Philosophy student who was at Princes Street at the time of the event, told The Student:
“I was walking to Boots when I saw a massive section of the street taped off. Having grown up in Central London I immediately thought it was a terrorist threat.”
Princes Street and its surrounding areas have now fully reopened.
Image credit: Ece Kucuk