25-05-2025
What I saw at Glasgow's 'Great British National Strike'
As previously reported by The National, far-right group 'The Great British National Strike' held a series of demos across the UK, with seven taking place across Scotland; emergency rallies were held in response on Glasgow's Buchanan Street by groups Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), Cabaret Against The Hate Speech, Afghan Human Rights Foundation and Glasgow TUC.
Anti-racism groups involved in the counter-demo descended early on the Buchanan Street steps, the proposed meeting point for the far-right protesters. When I arrived around 10:45am, a small number of police officers were in attendance and the atmosphere was already thick with tense anticipation for what was, unfortunately, expected to unfold.
READ MORE: Counter-protesters gather against far-right group in Glasgow city centre
Mohammad Asif of SUTR and the Afghan Human Rights Foundation spoke to the Sunday National shortly before the far-right protests began, saying: 'As a Muslim, of course I'm worried, as a brown or black person we're worried, because we are always the targets as we saw in the rioting in England last year.
'But we are here and we are standing with our friends, colleagues, brothers and sisters saying that fascism and racism will not defeat us; it will make us stronger.'
Shortly after my conversation with Asif, the Great British National Strike participants climbed the steps and unfurled a Union flag. From there, the still unease promptly dissipated as verbal and physical clashes between the groups began; counter-protesters attempted to snatch the flag, leading to a few scuffles that police tried to break up.
The commotion began on the Buchanan Street steps (Image: Lewis McPake)The far-right demonstrators were moved to the top corner of Buchanan and Sauchiehall streets, across from Jessops camera shop, as the counter-protesters mobilised on the steps. The Great British National Strike was initially far outnumbered, with those on the steps chanting 'Nazi scum, off our streets!' and "there are many, many more of us than you" at the opposing side.
There were a handful of people waving Union flags, Israel flags and banners featuring King Charles and the Red Hand of Ulster. One of the women who initially held the UK flag on the steps screamed: 'Would you trust them near your children?'
As their numbers began to grow, police, who had formed a human cordon which faced the counter-protest, made the decision to move them to the steps of Buchanan Galleries — not that it did much, as the counter-protest was still larger in numbers and split into two groups to follow.
Counter-protesters turned out in large numbers despite the gloomy weather (Image: Lewis McPake)Outside the shopping centre, the far-right began waving a Union flag that had an outline of criminal agitator Tommy Robinson, aka Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, emblazoned with the slogan "FREE TOMMY ROBINSON" in bold. Elderly women held signs depicting themselves as 'concerned grandparents'. Someone had brought their young son along, who stood on the frontline as the group began singing Rule Britannia and making choice hand gestures to their counterparts.
It was clearly a demonstration full of hatred, further emphasised by a woman who attempted to use a Saltire to erase a chalk-written slogan saying 'Free Palestine' from the pavement — she was told off for it by officers, but their lack of attention to a man who did what looked like a Nazi salute was baffling.
Participants in the Great British National Strike called for far-right spokesman Tommy Robinson's freedom and agitated counter-protesters with rude hand gestures (Image: Colin Mearns)
While the face-off ensued outside the shopping centre, Cabaret Against The Hate Speech began a singalong at the top of the steps. In what was clearly a wind-up, songs like Abba's SOS and unofficial national anthem Yes Sir, I Can Boogie were blasted through the speakers.
Alex, another organiser from SUTR, said: 'It's not a surprise that they're trying to co-opt different movements to try and present themselves as respectable.
READ MORE: Anas Sarwar refuses to say if he supports RAF surveillance flights over Gaza
'We know that the far-right performed racist pogroms last year across England. Again, Glasgow turned out to oppose them. We're making sure that will never be allowed to grow in Scotland.'
I left around 1pm. The stand-off was still in full swing, and at the time of writing there had been no arrests made.
Police Scotland have been contacted for comment.
