JOHN Swinney has said there is “no place in Scotland for hatred of any kind” after meeting members of the Muslim community.
The First Minister and Justice Secretary Angela Constance met Imam Habib Rauf, and representatives of the Scottish Refugee Council and the Muslim Council of Scotland at Edinburgh Central Mosque on Monday.
Swinney expressed his solidarity with Muslims in Scotland following a series of far-right riots in England and Northern Ireland over the weekend.
“There’s absolutely no place for intolerance or violence in our society”@JohnSwinney has been visiting Edinburgh Central Mosque to provide “visible reassurance” following riots in other parts of the UK The First Minister says there’s no evidence to suggest similar events here pic.twitter.com/9FzAsH8ztZ
— Alan Smith (@Political_AlanS) August 5, 2024
Violence also broke out in Belfast, Darlington and Plymouth late on Monday night.
Swinney and Constance also met the chief constable and other senior Police Scotland officers earlier in the day to discuss preparedness and provide reassurance to communities.
After the meeting, Swinney said: “Let me be absolutely clear, the type of behaviour we have seen in other parts of the United Kingdom is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Scotland.
“I want to send my good wishes to the communities affected, as well as the police officers and other frontline responders working tirelessly to keep them safe.
“I have always been proud that Scotland is a diverse, multicultural country. The Scottish Government is unequivocally committed to championing the rights of all of our citizens, including strengthening the already resilient communities where people live in peace.
“I am grateful to have met with members of our Muslim community and those who represent asylum seekers today, to pledge our support and reiterate the point that Scotland is a welcoming society.”
The First Minister said that Police Scotland assured him they would continue to “monitor the situation very closely” and that they are “prepared to deal with any similar situation in Scotland should it arise”.
He added: “I want to thank all those officers and members of Police Scotland staff for the work they are continuing to do through ongoing engagement with communities across Scotland and for the reassurance they are providing.
“There is no place in Scotland for hatred of any kind, and each of us has a responsibility to confront racism and religious prejudice wherever and whenever it appears.
“People will always try to divide us and it is imperative in these moments that we come together even stronger to stand defiant.”
Police Scotland say there is currently no intelligence to suggest riots similar to those elsewhere in England and Northern Ireland will happen in Scotland.
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton, Policing Together, said: “We understand that these recent events may cause concern, that is why we have focused our efforts on increasing policing visibility and engagement across the country as our primary commitment remains the safety and wellbeing of all our communities and our officers and in building trust and confidence.
“We continue to closely monitor the events in England. Police Scotland is dedicated to upholding human rights and will not tolerate violence or discrimination against any group.
“We wish to thank the Scottish people for their support and while we believe there is no cause for alarm, we encourage anyone with concerns or information to report them to us.”
