On 21 March, an anti-immigration rally was hosted by Unite the Clans at Holyrood. The protesters, who gathered at around midday, were met by counter-protesters from a number of other activist groups including Stand Up to Racism Scotland, with a heavy police presence separating the two sides.
Unite the Clans originally announced the event on Facebook, calling on followers to join them at the Scottish Parliament: “Whether driven by economic concerns, national identity, or the future direction of the country, those attending share a common goal — to demand answers to failed policies and to push for meaningful change.”
Tensions ran high between the two groups. Unite the Clans demonstrators waved Saltire and Union flags, chanting “send them home” and exchanging angry taunts with opposing protesters.
Anti-racist demonstrators responded by labelling Unite the Clans supporters as “Nazi Scum,” and playing music and holding signs. Counter-protesters reportedly came from a range of groups, including Women Against the Far Right and Students Against the Far Right, with representatives from the Scottish Greens, Scottish Labour and Your Party also present.
A representative from Stand Up to Racism Scotland exclusively told The Student that they organised the counter-protest to “prevent (Unite the Clans) from gaining a foothold in Edinburgh and stand firmly against the racism and intimidation they are polluting their hometowns with.”
Unite the Clans later defended the rally, reposting claims that it had been a “success but bias media covers it up.” The clip, posted on their Facebook page, claims their protesters were “True Scots,” and critiques opposing protesters as “Lefties” with “foreign accents,” of which “90%… were from the University.”
When approached by The Student, Stand Up to Racism rejected the remarks as “a deliberate and desperate attempt to suggest local people do not oppose them,” adding that counter-protests like the one at Holyrood are “vital to create visible, collective responses rooted in truth, solidarity, and support for victims and communities — not scapegoating.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed: “Officers attended planned protest activity at Holyrood, Edinburgh, on Saturday, March 21. There were no arrests.”
“Stand Up To Racism” by alisdare1 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.