Hundreds attend Glasgow Green anti-immigration and counter protests

Hundreds of people have gathered in Glasgow for an anti-immigration rally and associated counter protest.

The Pink Ladies organised their event at Glasgow Green, prompting opposing groups, including Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), to arrange a counter protest.

The two groups were contained in separate areas on the eastern side of the park, both demonstrations separated by the People's Palace and a heavy police presence.

Police said the event passed without "violence, disorder or disruption to the wider community".

Ch Sup Stevie Dolan said: "We did warn that there would be no tolerance for violence and disorder and that any criminality would get a strong response.

"People have a right to peaceful protest and today's policing operation was focused on ensuring the safety of the public, preventing crime and disorder, and minimising disruption."

He previously said there would be a "strong response" if there was any violence after flashpoints at a previous protest in the same park during the summer.

There was one arrest at Saturday's protest. A 23-year-old man was charged in relation to an outstanding warrant after another protest on 25 July.

MSPs Alison Thewliss, a Scottish government minister, and Iris Duane were at the SUTR rally, with STUC general secretary Roz Foyer.

Speaking at the rally, Thewliss said she had received correspondence from people who had come to Scotland and "don't feel safe".

"It's so important that we reach out to each and every person we see on the street, whether that's a smile or whether that's a handshake, or whether that is standing next to them if we see that they feel afraid.

"It is up to us all to make people feel safe and to stand up."

Foyer added: "It just confounds belief that people are prepared to weaponise a really important issue like violence against women and girls and use it to create more hate, more division, and more fear in our communities and in our society.

"That is exactly what's happening right now."

The union said the protesters were "trying to stir up real trouble", adding it was "really unfortunate so many officers were required to police the events.

She added: "I'm much more worried about the very angry people who are dressing in black, wearing masks and running about our city centre at the moment, trying to attack ordinary citizens who are just going about their daily business.

"Much more worried and much more fearful of that than I am of any migrants coming into our country."

Prominent figures on the Scottish right such as Reform UK deputy leader in Scotland Thomas Kerr, Reform councillor Audrey Dempsey and online personality Craig Houston attended the Pink Ladies event.

Kerr said he was invited by organisers to attend and had come to "hear what working-class women in particular are saying", adding that counter protesters were "extremists".

He said: "The people who are there are trying to shout down working-class people who finally have a voice.

"They're really, really angry about what's happening in our city and rather than listening to these working-class women, what this mob over there are doing is lecturing them, telling them what they must feel.

"I think that's ridiculous.

"I think the extremists in this argument are the people trying to silence other people rather than allowing people to have their democratic right and the freedoms to say what they need to say."