Why did Glasgow City Council let the far-right march through the city?
I've seen a lot of public comment about the calls to ban Ukip's "mass deportations" rallies and there is a really interesting divide in the commentary. The key opposition to supporting these calls comes from protecting the right to free speech so I suppose that's probably the best place to begin.
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In the UK, we absolutely have the right to free expression but with every right comes a responsibility and in this circumstance, your responsibility is not to incite violence. Inciting violence is a crime. Local authorities have the ability to bring a prohibition order on the grounds of public safety, public order and the placing of excessive burden on the police. I believe all of these were in play last Saturday and its under these grounds that the Ukip march should have been prohibited.
Of course, I raised this directly with the council senior officers who took a different view. Their view is that their required consultation with Police Scotland means that only Police Scotland can raise these concerns which they did not, otherwise, their hands are tied. Regardless of which of the two are at fault for allowing the march to go ahead, the resultant outcome is that normal Glaswegians had to step up and stop this far-right march from taking place.
Dan Hutchison speaks at a Greens event (Image: Christian Gamauf) While I entirely disagree with the concept that migrants aren't welcome, I accept that debate around whether to allow migrants to enter the UK and in what number is fair comment. It will be and is always robustly challenged. What I don't think it is fair comment to call for mass deportations.
Mass deportations is not just sending troublemakers home or taking a tough stance on migrants breaking the law. Mass deportations, as defined by disgraced ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe's motion from April on the matter, is deporting one million of our friends, family and neighbours. That's just under one in 70 people in this country that they want to seize, detain and deport. There is no way to succeed in mass deportations without taking the approach of ICE in America, but on steroids. The mass deportation of one million of our friends, families and neighbours people from this country would cause widespread violence on our streets and would benefit no one but the rich and powerful.
And those calling for mass deportations aren't looking to do this without violence. Last month saw the latest race riots on these islands over in Ballymena, which resulted in over 100 injuries and the expulsion of two-thirds of the local Roma community. With both the Northern Irish First Minister Michelle O'Neill and the PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher agreeing that this violence was racism in action.
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The far-right, including fascists, have united on a platform to scapegoat migrants at every possible turn and are trying to turn communities against each other. But the problem isn't migrants, the problem is greed. Greed from our corporate class and from our liberal politicians.
For decades now we have watched as our politicians have sold off assets like a fire sale. Making dodgy backroom deals with their friends in business, some even taking a wage to advise how to fleece the state, whilst being the ones elected to protect it. And it's the same snake oil salesmen that are selling you the "migrants are a problem" line that are filling their pockets from the millionaires and billionaires who benefit from us fighting amongst ourselves.
That's why the far-right weren't allowed to goosestep through our city, why we had to chase them off and why we will always stand as a community and not sell out to greed.
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