Charges against 11 protesters who attended the G20 protests in April 2009 dressed in police uniforms have been dropped.

Photographs show the protesters wearing navy blue all-in-one suits and riot helmets and riding on what appeared to be an armoured personnel carrier, which they parked outside the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Known as the Space Hijackers, the protesters were arrested at the scene in April last year and offered the chance for charges to be dropped if they admitted they were guilty of impersonating a police officer.

All declined and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) brought charges.

Due to appear in court this week, the charges were dropped after the CPS said there was insufficient evidence to prove guilt.

A spokesperson for the CPS said: “The decision to discontinue these charges has been taken because there is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

“I am not satisfied that a bench of magistrates or judge hearing the case alone, properly directed in accordance with the law, is more likely than not to convict the defendants of the charges alleged.”