AN SNP MSP has spoken about the toll which far-right violence in England and Northern Ireland took on her, saying it made her feel “vulnerable”.
Kaukab Stewart, the MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, became the first woman of colour to hold a post as a minister in the Scottish Government.
She was speaking at an event on Islamophobia and the far-right at SNP conference, organised by the SNP’s BAME group.
Stewart reflected on recent far-right violence in England and Northern Ireland and the impact this had on her.
She said: “I lived through the 80s where I saw the rise of the National Front and was subjected to not only the name-calling but the spitting, the kicking, the Nazi signs that we used to see and all the rest of it.”
Although there was no far-right violence in Scotland, speakers at the event stressed that racism and Islamophobia was still an issue facing the country.
Police were forced to intervene amid unverified reports online that there would be a far-right march in George Square.
Stewart continued: “Tangibly there was no evidence of any raising in the level of threat against me but I know I felt different.
“I suddenly had this fear that I was vulnerable, that feeling of looking over your shoulder.
“One day I was walking down the street, fine getting on with my life, and then the next minute everything has changed, but nothing has changed.
“I’m reasonably secure within myself so think about people who are not secure within themselves, who have often fled from violence and traumatic experiences who come to our country for a safe haven and now they’re left in a state wondering if they should flee from here.
“We cannot have that, we absolutely cannot have that.”
The MSP further added that recent comments from former first minister Humza Yousaf that he was questioning his family’s future in the UK made her feel “sad and disappointed”.
The event comes a week before a Stand Up To Racism rally is set to be held in response to an anti-immigration rally promoted by Tommy Robinson.
He previously shared a post on Twitter/X about a “pro-UK rally” which is set to take place in Glasgow on September 7.
Speaking to The National after the event about the upcoming protests, Stewart said: “People have a right to peaceful protest and I know that permission has been sought so therefore there’ll be lots of people to make sure everybody is safe.
“You can clearly see by today that people have lots to say, they want to stand in solidarity, they want to show that allyship and to do that in a peaceful way, to give a strong message that Scotland rejects racism, it rejects violent thuggery and far-right behaviour.
“We don’t want to see that.”
Stewart further said it was crucial “not to be complacent” despite far-right violence not spreading north of the Border.
She added: “That complacency is something we [the Scottish Government] are very vigilant on and we are in constant communication with police to make sure they have everything that they need, all the tools they need to be able to respond in a proportionate manner and protect public safety.”
