AN SNP councillor has called on the Scottish Government to improve its youth anti-racism strategy after recent far-right disorder in Glasgow.
Violence erupted in Glasgow Green on Saturday as members of far-right, anti-immigration group Unite the Clans clashed with anti-racism protesters and the police.
According to officers, 1700 people took part in the protests, with 15 people arrested for offences including assault, possession of offensive weapons, breach of the peace, obstruction and resisting arrest.
Multiple incidents were also reported across the city, and shown in viral videos across social media, of far right thugs throwing a cone and harassing non-white Glasgow locals.
Images also appeared to show a strong youth presence, many of whom wore hoods to conceal their identity, among the protesters.
Graham Campbell, who represents Springburn and Robroyston on Glasgow City Council, has called for more action from the Scottish Government as a result.
He (below) told The National that friends of his who are shopkeepers in the city centre have also seen an increase in racist abuse from hooded youths.
“They have had a whole heap of grief going on for weeks with groups of young people, hooded and unhooded, just marching into their shops,” he said.
“The fact that they feel so brazen to do that in the middle of our city centre is a worry. We are not getting to grips with this. There needs to be some genuine proper grassroots youth work to deal with that. So, I appeal to have a proper strategy, an anti-racism strategy that deals with all of those questions.”
Campbell added that while John Swinney has taken a strong stance and pushed back against Reform UK’s agenda, it’s “simply not sufficient” just to say that Nigel Farage’s party is “bad”.
“We need to have some actively anti-racist community strategies out there to counter what they're saying. There's toxic masculinity to tackle in schools. There's something we need to do with young men, in particular, but also with young women to give them a proper sense of history.”
He went on: “All of these things need to be properly resourced by our government and therefore our councils so that we can challenge it.”
In response, the SNP minister for equalities Simita Kumar said: “Any form of hatred, prejudice, intolerance or violence is abhorrent – and perpetrators will be brought to justice. Scotland is a diverse, multicultural, inclusive and welcoming nation and those who choose to make their lives here are valued members of our communities. We must stand against racism, hatred and intimidation and those who would seek to divide our communities.”
She also brought up pre-existing Scottish Government funds to help develop anti-racism resources in schools.
“This is part of our commitment to embed anti-racist learning across all areas of the curriculum. Guidance on a whole-school anti-racism approach was published in March,” Kumar added.
“Our anti-racism delivery plan aims to drive changes through policy and practice across public bodies and wider society so that everyone can flourish and participate fully in life in Scotland.”
