Diversions were set up around residential roads and pedestrians were prevented from walking up the short stretch of the High Street.

The incident began at around 10am. By lunchtime the street had been re-opened and traffic was flowing freely again.

Meanwhile, a senior police co-ordinator has heaped praise on officers for the way they handled yesterday’s demonstration by anarchist groups in Edinburgh, denying excessive force was used (writes Bryan Kay).

Fife Chief Constable Peter Wilson, in charge at the Scottish Police Information Centre based at his forces’ Glenrothes HQ, said he was delighted with the way officers handled clashes with protesters.

He refuted allegations that officers from south of the border used unnecessarily heavy-handed tactics compared with their Scottish colleagues.

Mr Wilson said a defensive approach was assumed, and only when trouble escalated did the police contingent revert to an offensive strategy.

“The policing strategy was set some time ago for officers in Scotland and officers who are joining us from other force areas,” said Mr Wilson.

“The tactics they have used follows from the briefing they had before being deployed.

“I would reiterate that there is a common standard which was an agreed policy and it is cast across all operations.

“There is no question of different tactics being used by different officers.

“Of course people will hear different accents — our officers from south of the border are going to be on the front line.

“To say that English officers are acting in any way different from Scottish officers is just not true. A common standard was set in Scotland and they are working in association with us.

“I am delighted with the way things have gone.”

Mr Wilson said he anticipated further arrests following the 100 made during yesterday’s trouble.

He said individuals who broke the law in the fracas were being tracked, but added that it did not mean an “arrest force” was being implemented at any of today’s demonstrations.

Only four arrests were made at what the Chief Constable called a peaceful demonstration outside the Faslane naval base, home to Britain’s trident submarines.

They were for minor offences related to breaches of a security fence.

Mr Wilson later announced that a further 500 officers are being recruited from England and Wales to bolster the security operation.

He said the additional requirement to the existing 6000 already secured was in response to the late agreement of a protest march close to the Gleneagles venue.

He said the need for the extra officers was deemed necessary because the march had not been accounted for when the original security plans were drawn up.

“There have been scores of events through the week and there was the Geldof element added to that,” said the Chief Constable.

“What did change was the agreement of a protest march at Gleneagles.

“So Tayside have asked for the release of additional resources.”

He stressed the request for an extra 500 personnel was not a direct result of the scenes in Edinburgh yesterday.

Mr Wilson explained that officers have been moved around to meet the needs of the different operations across the country.