Scotland will remain vigilant after UK rallies
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First Minister John Swinney met with police chiefs following violent disorder in other parts of the UK
Scotland will remain vigilant following anti-immigration riots and counter protests in other parts of the UK, First Minister John Swinney has said.
The SNP leader said violence and Islamophobia had “no place” in Scotland – which has so far avoided any outbreaks of disorder.
It came after thousands took to the streets for peaceful rallies in towns and cities across England on Wednesday evening.
Met Police chief Mark Rowley called it a “very successful night”, saying the fears of extreme-right disorder were “abated”.
Anti-immigration violence in towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland over the weekend had led to more than 400 arrests.
This was sparked by misinformation over a fatal stabbing attack in Southport.
Mr Swinney said Police Scotland had “comprehensive” plans in place to deal with any riots.
He said the force had identified the possibility of anti-immigrant gatherings in Scotland, based on social media posts.
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Anti-racism protesters gathered in cities and towns across England on Wednesday evening
Mr Swinney said “thankfully” there had not been riots in Scotland, but added: “We have to remain vigilant because of the unacceptable conduct that’s taking place.
He told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland: “I want everyone to remain vigilant because we have communities that are experiencing a great deal of fear and anxiety as a consequence of what they’re observing in other parts of the United Kingdom.”
He said Police Scotland had “formidable” resources that could be deployed flexibly across the country if required.
Mr Swinney said the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service could deliver “swift justice” under a strategy developed for the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in 2021, that had been revisited after the UK riots.
Following a meeting with Chief Constable Jo Farrell in Edinburgh on Wednesday, he said there had been no requests for Police Scotland officers to be deployed south of the border to help deal with disorder.
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Former first minister Humza Yousaf has spoken about his experiences of Islamophobia
Earlier this week, former first minister Humza Yousaf said he had questioned whether he and his family have a future in Scotland or the UK due to Islamophobia.
Mr Swinney said his predecessor’s comments were illustrative of a “deep sense of anxiety” in Muslim communities.
After meeting faith leaders on Wednesday, he said both the Muslim and Jewish communities were feeling “acutely anxious”.
And asked about the spread of disinformation about the riots, Mr Swinney said social media companies had “a lot of improvement to undertake in their conduct”.
He echoed calls from regulator Ofcom for social media firms to urgently protect users from content likely to incite violence or hatred.
The first minister said disinformation can be “profoundly dangerous”, citing false information spread about the stabbing of a woman in Stirling over the weekend.
He said Police Scotland “did absolutely the right thing to stamp on that misinformation and we will continue to do that where that is required”.
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