Anas Sarwar urges Glasgow to “reject far right” as demo planned after Southport riot

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has pleaded with Glasgow to resist any attempt by the far right to “slow division” after the killings of three young girls in Southport. 

  Sarwar spoke out against the efforts being made to organise a demo in George Square next month after numerous disturbances in the Lancashire town following the stabbings of the girls and their teachers at a dance class, which left three dead and more than eight injured. 

The 17-year-old attacker has been named as Axel Rudakubana after reporting restrictions preventing him from being identified were lifted by a judge. 

Initially, social media posts mentioned a Glasgow gathering on Saturday, August 10th, but that has since been moved to September. 

Tommy Robinson and other prominent English-based far-right figures have also promoted the event in Glasgow. 

When questioned about the planned demo, Sarwar warned against complacency but said extremist right-wing groups have never been successful in Glasgow when they come to the city. 

He said: “There have been attempts by the far right to protest or to sow divisions, and every single time the far right has tried to do that in Glasgow, Glasgow has overwhelmingly rejected it. 

“I have no doubt Glasgow would do that and do that again if this happens.” 

He added: “We can’t be complacent. 

“We can’t pretend there aren’t issues here, but we’ve always been a city that, regardless of where you come from, regardless of where you’re born, when you come here, you’re one of us.”