GLASGOW, Scotland — A giant inflatable Loch Ness monster was “seized” by Scottish Police on Wednesday, moments before the not-so-elusive inflatable was set to sail down the River Clyde.

       The Jubilee Debt Campaign, an anti-poverty group, had brought the inflatable — which its owners call Loch Ness Debt Monster or just Nessie for short — to the river banks. Before it made it on the water it was impounded by police in Glasgow, where the United Nations climate conference known as COP26 is taking place.

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       The stunt was planned to coincide with the day that finance ministers were meeting at COP26. The summit’s British organizers have given each day a theme, and Wednesday was finance day, with the focus moving to money.

       Jerome Phelps, head of advocacy at the Jubilee Debt Campaign, said they hadn’t quite finished inflating the giant beast — that’s why its head is flopping in photos — when a gaggle of “50-60 police officers arrived, surrounded her and dragged her away. It was a fairly grotesque over-reaction,” he said.

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       The campaigners are concerned about a growing debt crisis for the lower-income countries that are already bearing the brunt of climate change. “Each time they are hit by climate-related disasters, they go further into debt. Climate justice requires debt justice,” said Phelps.

       The police officers didn’t deflate the sea creature, but because it was rather large — about four yards tall, eight yards long and three yards wide — several officers were needed to lift it onto a trailer to be taken away.

       A Police Scotland spokeswoman said, “Officers seized a large inflatable due to be launched on the River Clyde as it breached the maritime restrictions in place to maintain public safety and security close to the COP26 venue.”

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       It was symbolic, Phelps said, the way that “lower income countries are demanding to talk about debt at COP, and have been shut down, just the way Nessie was prevented from sailing on the river to draw attention to the issue.”

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       Protesters have been out in force during the climate summit and large marches are expected on Friday and Saturday. But demonstrators can’t get into the main event and are concerned about whether their messages are being heard by the key negotiators and decision-makers whose job it will be to implement the pledges that are made during the 12-day summit.

       Phelps said he “didn’t know where Nessie is or if she will return.” But if her primary purpose was to highlight their concerns about climate change and poverty, then the giant sea creature arguably achieved her goal before she was taken away, disappearing out of sight.