26/07/2026
SUTR Scotland statement:
Antifascists defy far right mobilisation in Glasgow despite Police Scotland negligence
SUTR Scotland commends all antifascists who took to the streets of Glasgow today to oppose the latest attempt by the Scottish far right to build. The fascist 'Unite the clans' outfit spent three and a half months building this 'national' demonstration - but their gathering failed to draw more than around 550, after antifascists systematically exposed the organisers as violent fascists and the media echoed these revelations. By contrast, Stand Up to Racism and Women Against the Far Right Scotland, sponsored by a score of organisations, organised a counter-protest supported by 4,000 people, decisively outnumbering the fascists and racists. It came after racist protests broke out in communities around Glasgow in the last two weeks, where fascist and far right organisers sought to spread them.
The antiracist demonstration was supported by the STUC and trade unions FBU, Unite, Unison, UCU, UNISON, RMT, PCS, NASUWT, refugee rights organizations Scottish Refugee Council, Refuweegee, Bikes for Refugees, Refugees for Justice, trades councils, Muslim Engagement and Development, as well as local antiracism campaigns, and organisations including R**e Crisis Scotland and Time for Inclusive Education. A rally was addressed by speakers including human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, comedian Susie McCabe and Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign chair Mick Napier.
The fascist side heard repeated chants of 'remigration' (far-right code for ethnic cleansing of non-white people) and 'send them home'. Members of the ne***zi groups Patriotic Alternative and Homeland spoke at the far right rally. Disgracefully, Reform UK's Audrey Dempsey spoke alongside the fascists. She's the councillor for Springburn, one of the areas recently targeted by racist protests.
Antifascists achieved this important victory despite outrageous obstacles by Police Scotland. Firstly, the Police didn't allow antifascists to gather in their pre-agreed space, creating a dangerous situation they themselves were unable to control, allowing the much smaller fascist mobilisation the opportunity to run riot through the city. Then antifascists were threatened as they refused to relocate their demonstration far away from the far right demo, in an area with accessibility issues at the last minute. Liaison police officers later told SUTR stewards that they had come 'under pressure' from narratives of two-tier policing that took precedent over the safety of demonstrators and Glaswegians. Masked and uniformed fascist activists were allowed to go on the rampage through the city centre despite recent racist assaults while antifascists were threatened section 14. The actions of Police Scotland led to wholly avoidable scenes of violence, disproportionate to the balance of forces where anti fascists outnumbered the far right some 9 to 1.
The events show the power to beat the far right doesn't lie with the sections of the political class that have emboldened the fascists through their racist and Islamophobic rhetoric nor with institutions such as the police. It lies with the thousands who took to the streets today and time and again have done so against the far right. We will do it again - and we call on all to support Falkirk anti-racists on 15 August for their unity demo against the far right and fascists. We need to be organised in communities and workplaces across our city. Join Stand Up To Racism.
