'Horrifying' neo-Nazi presence near Glasgow condemned
PA was founded by a former leading member of the British National Party (BNP) and has links to an extreme, violence-obsessed Nazi group National Action, which was banned under anti-terror legislation.
Mr McDougall said: 'It is important that decent folk in Barrhead know who Patriotic Alternative are.
'They are a neo-Nazi organisation whose leader praises Hitler, and whose members have links to the banned Nazi terror group National Action.'
Despite being the UK's most active fascist organisation, according to anti-fascist organisation Hope not Hate, PA remains fringe with an active membership numbering in the low hundreds.
The group was present at a protest outside a Falkirk hotel housing asylum seekers at the weekend.
In June, West Dunbartonshire Council passed a motion condemning the "racist" banners, flyers and posters displayed at the Clydebank Bandstand by the group.
Patriotic Alternative are not standing a candidate in the council by-election taking place in the Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor ward on Thursday (August 21).
One of the aforementioned banners, however, urged people to 'vote for Reform', who are.
Mr McDougall added that he hopes Reform 'disavows support of these extremists'.
'A group like this campaigning in the local by-election is horrifying," he said.
'People in Barrhead are better than this, and proud of our local history fighting against Hitler.
'I'm in touch with anti-Nazi campaigners Hope Not Hate and the police.
"These hooligans won't turn local people against each other.'
A spokesperson for Reform said: "Reform UK and Andy MacGibbon has run a positive campaign in Barrhead, focused on the people's priorities.
"We can't control who supports us as our opponents know, yet they have nothing positive to offer people so resort to this sort of mudslinging.
"The public deserve better."
Georgie Laming, the director of campaigns at Hope not Hate who have slammed the group for co-opting local issues, described the group's presence in Barrhead as worrying.
'PA has accommodated and even promoted former activists from the proscribed group National Action and multiple key activists have been jailed under race hate or terror-related charges,' he added.
'They are undeniably hateful and extreme.'
A mother-of-two, who spotted banners yesterday in Main Street before later noticing that these had been taken down, also shared her concerns.
The 47-year-old, who asked not to be named, said: 'I am a parent of young people at Barrhead High School.
"Our family has engaged within the Barrhead community since the children started school in primary one.
'At that time, they were often the only minority ethnic children in their year group but always felt included as part of a tight-knit community in Barrhead overall.
'I was disturbed therefore to see signs saying 'Scotland is for Scots only' going up on the Main Street as we know well what this means.
'It's a racist dog whistle that is used to create division amongst our united communities and suggests those that are not white are not welcome as Scots.
'This is a deeply negative and harmful message that we do not need in Barrhead.
"It is makes me worry about the safety of my children and the growing multicultural demographic within the community.
'After the terrible scenes in Falkirk and Aberdeen last weekend, minority ethnic communities are becoming fearful for their safety and future in our own communities.
'I really hope the Barrhead community will overwhelmingly reject this kind of rhetoric at the local election this week. We don't need it here.'
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that officers attended an incident on Main Street this week in relation to a small group of people with a banner on display.
It is understood that Police Scotland's job is to facilitate peaceful protest and freedom of speech if the behaviour does not breach any European Convention on Human Rights pillars or stray into criminality.
On this occasion, officers found that it did not.
'The banner was viewed, and it was established that no criminality had occurred,' explained the spokesperson.
'Officers remained in the area until all participants had dispersed, and no banners remained at this location.'
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