Anti-immigration protesters have clashed with anti-racist counter-protesters in tense scenes in Glasgow this afternoon, per week after the biggest far-right occasion in many years, organised by the activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, often known as Tommy Robinson, came about in London.
The statue of Scottish statesman Donald Dewar, father of the Holyrood parliament, was surrounded by union flags bearing the phrases: ‘Cease the boats’, and ‘Unite the dominion’.
Additional down Buchanan Road, one of many metropolis’s foremost purchasing thoroughfares, representatives from commerce unions in addition to anti-racism and Palestinian solidarity teams carried indicators and banners studying ‘Bairns not bigots’, ‘Aye welcome refugees’ and ‘God hates fascists’.
By 1pm, a whole bunch of individuals waving placards studying ‘The folks won’t be silenced’ and ‘Only a apprehensive mum’ had gathered on the steps main as much as Glasgow Royal Live performance Corridor for the ‘unity rally’, which was first marketed by a podcaster known as John Watt.
Quite a lot of different teams, together with Save our Futures and Our Children’ Futures, which has been coordinating protests towards an asylum lodge in Falkirk, stepped in and inspired their supporters to attend after Watt introduced on social media that he was pulling out ‘attributable to unexpected circumstances’. Final week, the Each day Report revealed that Watt had been convicted of abusing two former girlfriends in 2018.
There was a major police presence and febrile ambiance with the ‘unity’ protesters blocked in on the high of Buchanan Road, whereas the bigger group of counter-protesters amassed additional down the pedestrian thoroughfare. These making speeches to the anti-immigration protest struggled to make themselves heard above chants of “disgrace on you” and heavy beats from the anti-racists’ superior sound system, which blasted out sing-a-long hits by Abba and Chappell Roan.
Anti-racist protesters line up towards the anti-migrant rally in Glasgow. {Photograph}: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian
Standing by the steps main as much as the live performance corridor, three girls held aloft a banner bearing a vibrant portrait of the far-right Christian activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated two weeks in the past in Utah. They praised Kirk, saying “he wasn’t scared to say what different persons are afraid to say” and bemoaned lack of Christian instructing in trendy Scottish faculties whereas “too many different religions are being introduced in”.
One of many girls, Laura Dunsmore, a nurse, mentioned it was necessary to stress that the protest wasn’t solely about unlawful immigration. “It’s in regards to the state of the nation, the state of the world. You may’t entry healthcare, our streets are crumbling. We are able to’t vote our means out of this. We’d like change at a better stage.”
Additional down the large avenue, holding a home made placard studying “This mum welcomes refugees”, Cat, a software program technician from Glasgow’s southside, was jigging to pop hits alongside along with her companion and child. “I felt I ought to lean in to the ‘mum’ bit particularly as a result of they’re saying they wish to shield girls and youngsters, and as a girl and a mum I’m not apprehensive about asylum seekers. I’m way more apprehensive about these guys over there”.
She mentioned it was necessary to come back to the counter-protest to indicate solidarity specifically after the scenes in London final weekend.
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As teams on the fringe of the protest started pushing and shoving, police moved rapidly to separate the 2 teams, closing off entry routes for Saturday customers and vacationers who expressed alarm or irritation on the disruption.
After concluding their speeches, the ‘unity’ rally had begun to disperse by 3pm, declaring the occasion successful, whereas a hardcore of counter-protesters continued to bounce alongside to disco hits in a extra carnival ambiance.
Areas of Glasgow have been draped in Saltires in current weeks, in a direct parallel with the Operation Elevate the Colors motion, which has co-opted the St George’s cross in England, with possession of the blue and white cross of St Andrew changing into a brand new cultural and political battleground in Scotland.
Final summer season, Scotland escaped the racist violence that unfold throughout England and Northern Eire after the horrific Southport killings final July. However a yr later, the panorama may be very completely different, with current polling for Extra in Widespread suggesting that Reform was neck and neck with Scottish Labour in voting intention for subsequent Might’s Scottish parliament election. Immigration seems to be a high concern for Scottish voters for the primary time and the Scottish authorities is dealing with a refugee housing disaster in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest metropolis.
