NOTORIOUS protester Sean Clerkin has left controversial Yes group the Scottish Resistance amid a bitter row with its founder.
After a falling out with James Scott, Clerkin, 61, has left the group and vowed never to return after he was shown vicious texts the other man had sent about him – including describing his fellow activist as a "nutcase”.
Clerkin, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), said Scott’s comments were “beyond the pale”.
Scott, 67, claimed the row started when Clerkin was overlooked at the Scottish Resistance’s Guardians of Scotland award ceremony held at the Old Burnt Barns in the Barras Market in Glasgow this St Andrew’s Day.
“Sean Clerkin, on that night, he was absolutely fuming, blazing mad,” said Scott, a semi-retired financial adviser.
“This guy has got to be centre of attention and he didn’t like the fact that all these people were in the limelight and he was sitting there with his face tripping him.”
Clerkin, a holder of a Guardians of Scotland award from a previous ceremony, disputes this and said the row began when he suggested the Scottish Resistance should campaign against homelessness and feed rough sleepers.
The activists are perhaps best known for their failed attempt to report then-prime minister David Cameron for an “international war crime” to officers at Rutherglen Police Station for the bombing of Syria in 2015.
They stormed the Glasgow headquarters of energy giant ScottishPower earlier this year in protest over soaring utilities costs.
Scott was against this suggestion, Clerkin said, preferring the pro-Yes movement to retain its focus on the constitutional question.
'Never returning'
It is not the first time Clerkin has been kicked out of the group but he has vowed it will be the last.
He was previously ejected for a stunt in 2019 involving Clerkin holding up a banner which read "England Out of Scotland" at the SNP conference in Edinburgh.
In 2018, he was booted out for taking a stance against the controversial Growth Commission report, which embarrassed the SNP by suggesting that an independent Scotland would need to impose austerity for the first 10 years after leaving the UK.
But this time, Clerkin has vowed not to return to the group after he was made aware of messages sent by Scott and shared with The National, which included offensive comments about his mental health.
Clerkin said: “It’s hurtful when a comrade, or a former comrade calls you those things and he’s doing it behind your back.
“I found the remarks regarding mental health were beyond the pale and I think that was derogatory towards the many people who suffer mental illness. I think it’s entirely contrary to what we should be about.
“I do suffer from OCD and I’ve had it for a long time, since my teenage years, and I find it insulting for him to throw that in my face.”
'A very tolerant person'
Scott defended his comments and said they were not offensive to people living with mental illnesses.
He added: “The only group in the Yes movement that have allowed Sean Clerkin a platform is the Scottish Resistance. It’s because I’m a very tolerant person.
“I believe that the Scottish Resistance should allow democracy and allow everybody to speak.
“Every other independence group that you go to won’t have him.
“When he starts speaking, he starts ranting and raving, foaming at the mouth, he’s done a lot of burning of the Union Jack, which goes against what a lot of the Yes groups want to do.”
Scott did not accept his comments were derogatory.
Clerkin said the comments, made by Scott in a Facebook group chat used by Scottish Resistance activists to co-ordinate their activities – came after a poll which gave members the opportunity to vote on whether he should be kept out of the organisation.
He also described Scott as behaving like a dictator in his leadership of the Scottish Resistance.
He added: “He rules the roost and when I made those comments, a suggestion about our priorities should be towards social justice, he just didn’t like it.”
