Stand Up To Racism protest in Glasgow backed by trade unions and celebrities outnumbers racists 10 to one 

Five weeks ago, far-right figurehead fascist Tommy Robinson tweeted the Glasgow rally, with the message 'the British are rising'. Those joining the Robinson-backed 'rising' could hardly hear their hate-filled speeches which were drowned out by speeches and chants from the antiracism rally.

The display of unity from trade unionists, with a sea of banners and flags from more than ten different trade unions, interfaith organisations, Muslim and Jewish activists, refugee rights charities, pro-Palestine activists and antiracists from across Scotland shows there is mass opposition to the far-right and their violence.

Talat Ahmed, SUTR Scotland convenor said: 
"Our rally was about celebrating and defending multiculturalism and diversity and saying loud and clear that refugees are welcome here and aren't to blame for the problems in society. And that the far right, with their toxic politics of hate and division, are not welcome in Scotland. After Reform UK, a far-right party, achieved 7 percent of the vote in Scotland in the general election, and the chilling news this week that the AfD, a party with a neonazi wing, had a breakthrough in German state elections, we urge all to unite against the far-right, racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism."

Commenting on the rally Linda Somerville, STUC Deputy General Secretary, said:

 “We have long warned that the far-right poses a dangerous threat in the UK, spreading racist hate amongst communities that are often marginalised and under-resourced. The cruel impacts of austerity, compounded by the drip feed of anti-migrant rhetoric from parts of the media and some politicians has created these conditions. Trade unions have a long history of defending our communities against fascists and racists and proudly joined the rally in Glasgow to show racists that they have no place here.”

1. The rally in Glasgow on 7th September at 12 noon was called by Stand Up to Racism Scotland as a counter-protest to threats by the far-right to gather in Glasgow. The rally is supported by the Scottish Trade Union Congress and its Black Workers' Committee, nine trade unions at a Scotland national level (Unison, Unite, PCS, RMT, FBU, CWU, EIS, NASUWT and UCU), the Scottish Refugee Council, Positive Action in Housing, Community InfoSource, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, Interfaith Scotland and Interfaith Glasgow, Romano Lav, Afghan Human Rights Foundation, Stop the War Coalition Scotland, Palestine Democratic Forum, All Under One Banner and Scotland Football Fans Supporting Foodbanks, as well as representative of political parties, union branches, trades councils and football fans groups.

2. SUTR is the national campaign organisation that organised mass demonstrations across Britain in response to the far-right mobilisations in August. https://standuptoracism.org.uk/