Protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers are “completely unacceptable”, Scotland’s First Minister has said.
John Swinney said he does not think such demonstrations reflect “who we are” in Scotland, which he described as a welcoming country, and create a sense of fear and alarm which is “entirely unwelcome”.
Mr Swinney was speaking after a third weekend of demonstrations in the past month over immigration.
Three people have been arrested after protests and counter-protests by Stand Up to Racism Scotland and trade unions outside the Cladhan Hotel in Kemper Avenue, Falkirk, in recent weeks.
Demonstrations took place there on August 30 and 16, while on August 23 a demonstration and counter-protest took place outside a hotel in Perth.
Asked whether he is concerned such protests are becoming a regular event in Scotland, Mr Swinney told the PA news agency: “People obviously have the right of peaceful protest in a democracy, but I think the protests outside the hotels that are providing accommodation for asylum seekers are completely unacceptable, I think they are distasteful.
“I don’t think they are who we are in Scotland.
“We are a welcoming country. We want to make sure that people are embraced into our country and welcomed.”
Speaking of the protests, the First Minister said: “I think they create a sense of fear and alarm which is entirely unwelcome.”
On Saturday a demonstration organised by the group Save Our Future and Our Kids Futures also took place outside the office of Labour MP Euan Stainbank in Falkirk.
No arrests were made at the demonstration outside the MP’s office. However, police said a 54-year-old man was arrested in the Kemper Avenue area in connection with an outstanding warrant while another man was arrested in connection with breach of the peace and was released without charge.
Police said a 45-year-old man has also been arrested and charged in connection with an offensive banner displayed during protest activity in the Kemper Avenue area on Saturday August 16.
At the protest in Perth last month a group called Abolish Asylum System held a protest outside the Radisson Blu.
It was met with a counter-protest organised by Perth Against Racism, with both sides chanting and shouting at each other.
