Anti-Immigration Protesters and Counter-Protesters Clash in Glasgow

Published: 20 September — The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online

Glasgow became the centre of heated confrontation on Saturday afternoon as anti-immigration protesters and anti-racist counter-demonstrators faced off in tense and chaotic scenes. The clashes came just a week after London witnessed the largest far-right gathering in decades, organised by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson.

The protests unfolded around Buchanan Street, one of Glasgow’s busiest shopping districts. At the statue of Donald Dewar, Scotland’s first First Minister and the architect of devolution, anti-immigration activists gathered under union flags emblazoned with slogans such as “Stop the boats” and “Unite the kingdom.” Opposing them further down the street, trade unions, anti-racism campaigners, and Palestinian solidarity activists rallied with banners declaring “Bairns not bigots,” “Aye welcome refugees,” and “God hates fascists.”

By early afternoon, hundreds of people had converged at the steps of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for what was billed as a “unity rally.” Initially organised by podcaster John Watt, the event later gained momentum when groups like Save Our Futures and Our Kids’ Futures urged their supporters to join in. Watt himself withdrew after media reports highlighted his 2018 convictions for abusing two former partners.

The atmosphere quickly grew volatile. Police maintained a strong presence, keeping the anti-immigration protesters confined at the top of Buchanan Street while counter-protesters dominated the lower half with loud chants and a booming sound system blasting Abba and Chappell Roan. Despite speeches by anti-immigration activists, their words were often drowned out by chants of “shame on you” and the music from the opposing camp.

Among those supporting the “unity rally” were three women holding a banner featuring far-right American activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in Utah earlier this month. One of them, nurse Laura Dunsmore, claimed the protest was about more than immigration, pointing to wider frustrations over healthcare, infrastructure, and governance. “We can’t vote our way out of this,” she said. “We need change at a higher level.”

In contrast, counter-protesters highlighted solidarity with refugees and rejected the narrative of fear. Cat, a software technician who joined with her partner and baby, carried a placard reading, “This mum welcomes refugees.” She said she wanted to challenge claims that immigration endangered women and children. “I’m not worried about asylum seekers. I’m far more worried about those guys over there,” she said, pointing toward the anti-immigration rally.

As tensions spilled into pushing and shoving at the fringes, police intervened quickly, diverting pedestrian traffic and preventing further escalation. While the anti-immigration group dispersed by mid-afternoon, declaring their rally a success, counter-protesters lingered, turning their demonstration into something resembling a street carnival, dancing to disco hits as the atmosphere softened.

The protests reflected broader political tensions in Scotland. In recent weeks, Scottish streets have been draped with Saltires in a symbolic counterpoint to England’s Operation Raise the Colours movement, which has repurposed the St George’s cross as a far-right emblem. The Saltire, long a unifying national symbol, is now caught in a cultural tug of war.

This summer’s unrest follows last year’s violence across England and Northern Ireland after the Southport killings, which Scotland initially avoided. But political winds appear to be shifting. A More in Common poll recently indicated that Reform UK is now polling neck and neck with Scottish Labour ahead of next May’s Scottish Parliament elections. Immigration, once a secondary issue north of the border, has surged to the forefront of voter concerns, compounded by Glasgow’s mounting refugee housing crisis.

As Scotland grapples with rising political polarisation and the challenges of accommodating new arrivals, Saturday’s clash in Glasgow underscored the growing divisions within communities — divisions that mirror trends seen across the wider UK.