The group cited article 61 of the document, which has nothing to do with Scotland, and streamed the protest on Facebook Live. In a 13-minute video, a woman states that the castle “belongs to the people”.

The Scottish people, she said, have been “lied to all our lives” and that the “building belongs to us, we have taken the castle back” in an effort to “restore the rule of law”.

A man adds: “Treason’s been going on for that long now, we can’t sit back and let everybody perish under the stupid legislation and fraudulent government tyranny, so let’s just take it all back, not just the castle.”

Clause 61 states: “If we, or in our absence abroad the chief justice, make no redress within forty days, reckoning from the day on which the offence was declared to us or to him, the four barons shall refer the matter to the rest of the twenty-five barons, who may distrain upon and assail us in every way possible, with the support of the whole community of the land, by seizing our castles, lands, possessions, or anything else…”

A spokesperson for Historic Environment Scotland told the Edinburgh Evening News: “A group of around 20 individuals entered Edinburgh Castle this evening without payment. After refusing requests to leave the premises Police Scotland were called to the site and are dealing with the matter. There are no other visitors currently on site.”