Attempts to remove a self-styled “African tribe” from privately-owned land in the Scottish Borders have begun.
Five officials and four police officers entered the makeshift encampment in woodland near Jedburgh while the three members of the self proclaimed Kingdom of Kubala group were still asleep.
Shouting could be heard from the woods as they woke them.
The group, who have been living on the site for several weeks despite formal attempts to remove them, said they were reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago – but the local council said they were breaking the law.
The eviction order was issued by Sheriff Peter Paterson last week after the group ignored a previous instruction to leave their encampment.
The “tribe” has a growing online presence, with more than 100,000 followers on TikTok and Facebook, and has received worldwide media attention.
The three members of the tribe, dressed in knitted jumpers and robes with tribal jewellery, stand next to two blue tents in the woodland.
The “tribe” has been at the site for several months
Ghanaian Kofi Offeh, 36, and Jean Gasho, 42, who is originally from Zimbabwe, first arrived in the Jedburgh area in the spring.
Describing themselves as King Atehehe and Queen Nandi, they set up camp on a hillside above the town in the Scottish Borders.
They were joined by “handmaiden” Kaura Taylor, from Texas, who calls herself Asnat.
Officers remained on site for about 90 minutes on Tuesday, by which time the their tents had been dismantled and their possessions packed up.
The three members of the group remained on site but had moved a few metres from their encampment.
The group would not directly comment when asked by BBC Scotland what had happened.