Anti immigration arrests following demonstrations across Scotland

by Democrat reporters

Demonstrations were held in several locations across Scotland last night, Tuesday.

Three men, aged 31, 18 and 18 have been arrested and charged in connection with various offences in Glasgow during the evening.

Two officers and three members of the public were injured, all in Glasgow.

Police also attended disruptive but peaceful demonstrations in Edinburgh, Falkirk, Perth, Ayr, and Paisley and no arrests were made.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: “Our priority is public safety, and last night we had a conventional police response to demonstrations across the country.

“We understand the concerns people have about their communities and will always balance the right to freedom of expression with the need to tackle crime without fear or favour.

“Officers responded to disorder and violence, including incidents in Glasgow where members of the public were attacked because of the colour of their skin. Officers were also attacked.

“I would strongly condemn that offence and send a clear message that there is no place for racism and violence in Scotland.

“Officers continue to be in local areas, and we are engaged with communities to show support and listen to concerns.

“We have an appropriate policing plan in place, including strong links across UK policing to ensure we are prepared to deal with any escalation in disorder, and we will mobilise specialist resources if necessary.

“As part of this, our officers will support National Police Coordination Centre mutual aid arrangements for colleagues at the Police Service of Northern Ireland, following careful consideration of our resourcing requirements to ensure there is no impact to policing in Scotland.”

Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer

Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer has branded protestors who took to the streets in Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayr on Tuesday night “scumbags.”

Demonstrations broke out in the three Scottish cities and towns after a man was brutally attacked in the Northern Ireland capital on Monday night, with the alleged culprit from Sudan.

Violence erupted in Belfast, with some properties set ablaze. In Scotland, there have been reports of assaults in Glasgow, but Edinburgh and Ayr were understood to have been peaceful.

Protestors were also angry about the Henry Nowak case in England, and held up White Lives Matter placards.

Mr Greer condemned the scenes in Northern Ireland, blasting them as “racist rioters.”

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he added: “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.”

Asked about the situation in 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.”

He went on to say 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.

He added: “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.”

Mr Greer then compared the situation in Belfast and the response to it to the case of Alina Burns, who was a neo-Nazi-obsessed teenager who attempted to behead a Kurdish man.