Trade unions and anti-racism campaigners plan counter-protest to George Square anti-immigrant rally

The anti-immigrant event on 7 September is being organised by the Glasgow Cabbie Facebook page, under the Enough is Enough slogan used by far right extremist groups, violent rioters in England and hate mobs in Northern Ireland.

The Glasgow rally was announced with posts that linked the anti-immigrant protest to the tragic stabbings in Southport. Riots in towns and cities across the UK were triggered by false online posts wrongly identifying the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant. A teenager, born in Wales, has since been charged.

Misinformation about the Southport tragedy remains on the Glasgow Cabbie Facebook page. The George Square event was promoted in social media posts by violent convicted criminal Tommy Robinson.

The rally is being advertised as a peaceful protest against “foreign criminality” and illegal immigration, including “unvetted fighting age males” - which organisers refer to alongside seeking asylum, which is a legal right: “Stand up and be counted regardless of your employer’s efforts to stop you or continue to suffer at the hands of poisonous people, until their venom reaches your safe haven!” organiser Stef Shaw states.

Rory Anderson, an organiser for Stand Up To Racism Scotland, said: “The strong message will be that the far right are not welcome in Scotland. It’s important to celebrate resistance as well as diversity, and to show communities are willing to stand together.”

The SUTR counter-protest is backed by the Scottish TUC union federation and the EIS, RMT, PCS, NASUWT, UCU, CWU, FBU, Unite and Unison unions in Scotland. The Scotland Football Fans Supporting Foodbanks organisation, Afghan Human Rights Foundation and Stop the War Coalition will join the conter-protest.

Colin Brown, an executive council member of FBU Scotland, the firefighters’ union, said: “Firefighters do not consider race, religion, culture, identity or any other factor that some use in an attempt to divide us. 

“This horrific tragedy has been weaponised by the far-right to sow division with a deliberate campaign of racist violence and intimidation based on disinformation and scapegoating. 

“The FBU stands in solidarity with those facing racism, violence and intimidation, we stand for the unity of all workers against a cynical divide and rule agenda. 

“On September 7 the FBU will march under our banner with our message of Firefighters Against Racism. Not in our fire service. Not in our society. Not on our watch.” 

Mike Corbett, Scotland national official at education union Nasuwt, said: “As far-right elements continue to incite prejudice and violence across the UK, it is more important than ever that we come together to unite against hate.

“Nasuwt has a proud history of protecting and promoting equal rights. We must never forget that trade unions are an essential building block of democracy, and honouring that means showing up and fighting against discrimination in all its forms. 

“When we rally with Stand Up to Racism in Glasgow, we’ll be amplifying the voices of our members and speaking for those who cannot. 

“We will be reclaiming the streets and sending a strong message that racism has no place in a civilised society.”