It comes in response to violence across England and Northern Ireland fuelled by far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.
The unrest began following the fatal stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in Merseyside in the north of England. Misinformation online claimed an asylum seeker was responsible for the girls’ murder.
Police said there was “no intelligence” to suggest there might be similar rioting in Scotland, although there had been in recent weeks and months demonstrations against asylum seekers in a hotel next to the Erskine Bridge.
Glasgow’s George Square was the scene of one protest
On Saturday morning, hundreds of demonstrators assembled outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Many protesters were joined by their children and dogs.
There were chants of “refugees are welcome here”.
One woman told the BBC: “I’m here today to protest against the rise of right-wing thinking.
“We are not anti-immigration, we are not anti-migrant, we are anti-racist and I want to put all of those ‘pro’ feelings on the street.”
Another said: “I think everyone should be welcome here, it’s not worth pointing a finger at your neighbour.”
The chanting was also repeated in Glasgow’s George Square, where hundreds of demonstrators were gathered.
There was a large police presence but the event was peaceful.
At one stage, officers separated two counter protesters from the anti-racism demonstration.
One man with a sign reading “asylum frauds out” and another with a megaphone were approached by a group of anti-racism protesters who shouted “nasty scum off our streets” at them.
A short time later, the pair left the square, escorted by a large group of police officers.
On the Planestanes in Dumfries, about 200 people turned up, some with placards showing messages of unity.
One read: “We are one people.”
They listened to a series of speeches, with one speaker telling the crowd: “This is not what we are in Dumfries.”
About 150 people, some of them from West Dunbartonshire, joined a Stand Up to Racism demonstration in Paisley on Friday night.
On Friday evening, about 150 people joined a Stand Up to Racism demonstration in Paisley and about 100 people gathered at a similar event in Bathgate, West Lothian.
The events were organised in response to rumours on social media that anti-immigration protests were being planned in the towns.
However, there was no sign of far right protests.
First Minister John Swinney said on Friday that “adequate preparations” were in place to deal with any flare-ups should they happen and Police Scotland had the resources to deal with any potential disorder.
The force is expected to send 120 officers to Northern Ireland next week to support the police service there, which has been dealing with a number of incidents of disorder.
Mr Swinney has also written to social media companies Meta, TikTok and X calling for “immediate” action to tackle misinformation and hateful material which has fuelled violent scenes across parts of the UK.
Wow! Praying for Peace.
Not at all sure that this counter demonstration is a good thing. Well intentioned yes, but a good thing no.
Scotland fortunately has not been plagued with the recent anti immigrant, anti Muslim, anti colour thuggery appertaining in England.
This of course does not mean that Scotland doesn’t have the propensity for disliking and discriminating against minorities. Prior dislike of Catholics certainly showed that but in relation to minorities I do think we are better than down south.
Anyway, with no real threat of visible agitation here, I do think keeping low would have been the better option.
Or maybe white, white, white folks should like Humza Yousaf suggests flee with their families to Pakistan.
Argh, division, but it can be managed.
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