The lighting up of County Hall in June was in support of the Black Lives Matter message not any illegal activity at any protests the council’s leader said.

Clr. David Simpson added on Thursday (October 8) that it had been a “gesture in memory of George Floyd” and solidarity with the Black Lives Matter message.

The council had not been instructed to do so by the Welsh Local Government Association but it had been backed by the body after the event, as were all 22 of the Welsh local authorities who had shown support.

It had “not intended to give any impression that PCC condones any illegal activity” associated with any protest and apologised if a press release in June had done so.

“It was to show support for the Black Lives Matter message and I remain of the view that his was the right thing to do,” said Clr. Simpson.

He was responding to a question from Clr. Paul Dowson who said the press release “categorically stated that Pembrokeshire County Council were supporting the protests, not the movement or the motives behind the protests but the protests specifically.”

He said: “PCC have no right to support violent life threatening protests in my name.”

In a supplementary question he said a simple correction could have been issued sooner with Clr. Simpson replying that his question was answered at the next full council following its submission.