A demonstration has been called by the Scottish Defence League for tomorrow — but anti-fascists won’t be letting them have it all their own way.
The “anti-grooming gangs” protest was called by the far-right group in an effort to capitalise on a grooming gang case in the Four Corners area of the city and will likely be joined by members of the largely imploded BNP. The bigots are hoping to revive their flagging fortunes in a similar manner to Tommy Robinson’s successful exploiting of paedophile court cases for his media profile earlier this year, which has seen him portrayed as a martyr by people who don’t understand how reporting restrictions work.
A counter-demo has been called for 12pm starting at Glasgow City Chambers however by a coalition of local groups, including Edinburgh Antifa, Plan C Glasgow and Clydeside IWW. In a statement, the groups said:
The woefully sorry bunch of Racist bigots at the Scottish defense league have called yet another demonstration, this time supposedly to “combat” grooming gangs. This despite the fact that their group has been and is riddled with convicted paedophiles, abusers and sex offenders whom they have never disavowed. This is yet another thinly veiled disguise to spew more of their racist, bigoted shambles of an agenda in public and we won’t stand for it.
We call on all anti-fascists and honest, anti-racist locals to stand up against their violent xenophobia and their opportunist hijacking of a cause they have no interest in. We know we won’t win by just standing around smug, waving placards and chanting slogans, so we will assemble outside city chambers on the east end of George square, separate from the “official” Unite against Fascism demo and their pals in the police force and boot the SDL off our streets!
The SDL is intending to gather at the north Hanover street entrance to Queen Street train station at 12.45 on the day.