Human rights campaigner condemns 'thugs' at Glasgow protest
Political leaders hit out at demonstrations in Scotland in wake of Belfast attack
A prominent human rights campaigner has condemned the “thugs” who took part in demonstrations in Scotland’s biggest city, claiming that some of those involved carried out “brutal” racist attacks.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Glasgow on Tuesday evening, with many of those involved clad in black or dark coloured clothes, while covering their faces.
The protests, which echoed smaller gatherings in Edinburgh and Ayr, came in the wake of a knife attack in Belfast on Monday evening which left a man, named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, and who is originally from Scotland, seriously injured.
Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese man, was remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with attempted murder over the attack, in which Mr Ogilvie, 44, lost an eye.
The reaction to the attack saw mobs in Belfast set fire to homes, a bus and cars, with people targeted based on their race.
In Glasgow, a significant Police Scotland presence diverted protesters away from the city centre, with a number of streets and bridges closed during the demonstration.
Photos from the scene showed the Glasgow protesters invoking the memory of murdered 18-year-old Henry Nowak, with one banner saying ‘White lives matter’.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show violent clashes between those in the protest and members of the public.
Police Scotland has been contacted for comment about the incident, while there has been cross-party condemnation of the scenes.
Mohammad Asif, director of the Afghan Human Rights Foundation, described the scenes across Scotland as “unacceptable” and stressed that racism, hatred and intimidation had “no place” in the country.
He said: “Last night in Glasgow, these thugs brutally attacked many people because of the colour of their skin.
“Imagine, just imagine, if left-wing groups committed even a fraction of the violence and disorder that we witnessed last night. Right-wing politicians and commentators would be frothing with rage, demanding mass arrests of people on the left for incitement.
“Not one of these masked thugs gives a damn about the poor man who was attacked in north Belfast. The attack in Belfast was shocking, and those responsible must face the full force of the law.”
Mr Asif added: “People have the right to raise legitimate concerns, but violence, racism and disorder have no place in Scotland and serve only to divide our communities. We are strongest when we stand together.
“The scenes we witnessed in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayr last night were unacceptable. Scotland is a welcoming nation, and those who choose to make their lives here are valued members of our communities.
“Racism, hatred and intimidation have no place in Scotland. We must stand against them wherever they appear.”
According to the Glasgow branch of Stand Up to Racism, the grassroots campaigning organisation, whose members took images and videos of the protests in Glasgow, those involved were “fascists” and “far right thugs,” some of whom were wearing masks.
It said the protests were a “last minute gathering,” with individuals assembling at the steps at the top of the city’s Buchanan Street, before marching down the street.
The group claimed that the gathering in Scotland’s biggest city has been “called and joined by” prominent figures in the Scottish far right, who it said had a “long history of touring Britain to join violent anti-refugee protests.” It added that the group who assembled in Glasgow were addressed by a member of the far right group, Patriotic Alternative.
First Minister John Swinney said the scenes in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Ayr were “unacceptable.”
In a post on X, he wrote: “Scotland is a welcoming nation and those who choose to make their lives here are valued members of our communities.
“Racism, hatred and intimidation have no place in Scotland. We must stand against it.”
Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, said he was “horrified by the violence, the criminality and the horrific attack in Belfast.”
“Justice needs to do its job. Yes, there are lessons to be learned and issues to be confronted, but the answer to that is not violence, racism and disorder,” he said.
“Glasgow has always been an open, tolerant and welcoming city, and to see hundreds of people, many of them in balaclavas and black hoodies, marching through Glasgow city centre, intimidating many people in those streets, is not acceptable and not appropriate.”
Speaking during a visit to Balmossie Fire Station in Broughty Ferry while out on the campaign trail for the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election, Mr Sarwar added: “The people on those streets had nothing to do with the attack in Belfast. They were equally as horrified about what happened in Belfast.
“Many of them will share many of the concerns that people have in terms of the big issues that need to be confronted, so why are they being intimidated?
Scottish Greens co-leader, Ross Greer, described the protesters as “scumbags.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he said: “From what I heard from people in Glasgow yesterday, you had grown men walking down Buchanan Street screaming at anyone who wasn't white, including children who were not white, screaming at them, 'send them home'. So scumbag would be the word that I would use to describe them as well.”
Asked about the situation in Belfast, he added: “Those were racist rioters. If you are burning the houses down of people who are not white, you're a racist rioter, you're a criminal - you are a scumbag.”
Mr Greer said that he “really feels for” the family of Henry Nowak, who called for calm in the wake of the sentencing of the teenager's murderer.
“Henry Nowak's family have said over and over and over again that they do not want that tragedy, they do not want his murder to be used to stir up this kind of hatred, and his family are being constantly ignored by these people who are taking advantage of this situation,” he explained.