THIS protest outside the American Consulate in Glasgow, was among the first of many in the West of Scotland by people who did not want nuclear weapons.

It took place on February 20, 1961 and led to the arrest of two men, who were among those waving placards and objecting to US Polaris submarines being based at the Holy Loch.

The pair tried to get into the building in Woodside Terrace before being detained, with their action leading to a 24-hour guard being placed on the consulate.

US submarines first used the Holy Loch during the Second World War and it continued to host the vessels until 1992, when it was decided the base was unnecessary following the end of the Soviet Union.

But by then the attitudes of many had changed and the numbers objecting to the base and nuclear weapons had grown.

A peace camp had been established in 1982, with a broad spectrum of organisations coming to back its aims of removing the weapons from the Clyde.

As for Polaris, it was carried by UK subs from 1968 and scrapped by 1996.

So this protest was not immediately successful, but few would argue that the campaign had impact.