Around 300 officers are required to police protests and counter-protests across Scotland each week, the chief constable has said.
Jo Farrell said the demands of repeated demonstrations are putting pressure on Police Scotland’s workforce.
She spoke at a Scottish Police Authority (SPA) board meeting on Thursday.
Her report to the board had also referred to weekly growing numbers of anti-immigration protests as well as pro-Palestinian demonstrations around the country.
There have been a number of anti-immigration protests outside accommodation for asylum seekers in recent weeks, which often attract counter-protests.
In Falkirk, weekly demonstrations have been held between opposing groups outside the Cladhan Hotel.
Pro-Palestinian groups have also staged demonstrations against the UK Government’s proscription of Palestine Action.
Ms Farrell told the SPA board: “Policing continues to respond to an intense operating environment, illustrated by a high-level of protest and counter-protest across the country each week.
“While the vast majority of these have been peaceful, there have been challenging dynamics and appropriate police planning and resource is required, placing pressure on our workforce.
“To provide a sense of the pressure, over the weekend just gone around 280 officers, over 35 sergeants and 10 inspectors, were deployed in relation to demonstrations, including in Glasgow, Falkirk, Dundee and Perth, with similar levels of protest anticipated over the coming weekend.
“Of course, this has a cost to the organisation and also a work-life balance pressure on officers who have rest days cancelled to do these duties.”
Ms Farrell told the board the law would be enforced in a “proportionate” way, with a national command structure in place.
She said: “Engagement and communication is a crucial part of what we do. We are proud of our approach but the relentless challenge of carefully managing such an intense and fragile issue has an impact.”
The SPA board was updated on a number of high-profile investigations and convictions in Scotland, including that arrests connected to Operation Portaledge, which is investigating a gang feud in the east and west of Scotland, have risen to 57.
