Reform UK accused of 'fanning flames' of Glasgow riots as MSP calls for people to 'make your voice heard'

Following last night’s scenes, Reform UK’s deputy leader in Scotland, Thomas Kerr, has said people should be able to repeat demonstrations and “go out and make your voice heard”, but has suggested that people “do not incite racism, and do not show violence”.

It comes after Mr Kerr, who represents Glasgow at Holyrood, yesterday once again used the term “strangers” to describe refugees and asylum seekers, while putting a question to First Minister John Swinney at FMQs.

During the election campaign, Mr Kerr told The Scotsman that there had been “a huge rise in sexual assaults and violence, alongside a housing crisis which has been made worse by SNP ministers prioritising strangers over Scots”. Published statistics show that the vast majority of rape and sexual assault survivors in Scotland know their attacker.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, caused fury after claiming immigrants were “culturally smashing” Glasgow .

READ MORE: Police Scotland say people were attacked in riots 'because of the colour of their skin'

The violence occurred after an isolated stabbing attack on Monday night in North Belfast.

Three men, one aged 31 and the others aged 18, were arrested on Wednesday in Glasgow following the unrest, in which three members of the public and two police officers were hurt, Police Scotland said.

Asking an urgent question on the matter at Holyrood, Scottish Labour MSP for Glasgow, Paul Sweeney, condemned the "violent racist demonstrations”.

He said: “Racist thugs stormed through the centre of Glasgow under the white nationalists slogan, white lives matter.

“Members of the public were attacked indiscriminately because of the colour of their skin.”

Mr Sweeney branded those causing violence as “a savage mob”.

He added: “Last night’s event was not a random outburst of bigotry and violence. It marks a further escalation of organised far right riots that are becoming all too common in Scotland.

“We are seeing the forces of hate out emboldened on our streets, intimidating and harassing all law-abiding citizens who have come to our country to build a better life. This bigotry must not be tolerated any longer.

“Some members of this parliament have sought to fan the flames of this division, with continual talk of strangers and calls of further protests tonight.

“Every one of us in this parliament has a duty to calm tensions in this country and not to inflame them and to be reminded that their duty is to their constituents and people of Scotland and not American neo-Nazis on social media.”

READ MORE: 'Scotland must stand against racism, hatred and intimidation': John Swinney speaks out after protests

Mr Sweeney’s outburst comes as Mr Kerr told the BBC that people who go out and demonstrate again tonight in Glasgow.

Asked what his message was to people who might be thinking of going back out onto the streets tonight, the Reform MSP said: “Go out and protest, go out and make your voice heard”.

He added: “We have a fantastic tradition in this country of freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

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“Go out there and make sure the government hears your voice. But do not vandalise, do not incite racism, and do not show violence.

“Because as soon as you do that, you play into the hands of John Swinney and of Keir Starmer, who did not want to speak about massive uncontrolled illegal migration.”

Pressed over whether encouraging people to go out onto the streets was encouraging them to be violent, Mr Kerr said: “It's encouraging peaceful protest.”

He added: “I am always for people using their freedom of speech and freedom of expression. We always have supported that in this country. We see yes marches all the time, walking through our streets, that's not inciting violence, what it's saying is if you want to express your opinion to the government of the day, go out and do it peacefully.

“Do not vandalise, do not spread racism, do not do any sort of violence, but go out on the streets and send a very clear message to the government that mass uncontrolled illegal migration is putting our country at a breaking point, enough is enough.”

No Reform MSP spoke at Holyrood on the issue.

SNP Justice Secretary Neil Gray, branded the scenes “shocking and unacceptable”.

Mr Gray insisted that people must “always stand up to those who seek to divide, intimidate, cause fear and alarm, including in this parliament”.