Hundreds of people assembled at Glasgow Green in Glasgow on Saturday 12 September 2026 for duelling demonstrations on immigration policy. The Pink Ladies organised an anti-immigration rally that drew counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) and allied groups, with police deploying substantial resources to maintain separation between the two sides.
The rival gatherings occupied distinct zones on the eastern side of the park, divided by the People's Palace and a significant police presence. According to reporting from the event, clashes erupted during the day, prompting police to respond to multiple incidents of disorder. Officers on horseback and a helicopter overhead were deployed as part of the operation to manage the crowds.
Chief Superintendent Stevie Dolan signalled that law enforcement would adopt a "strong response" should violence occur, a warning issued in light of disorder that had taken place at the same venue in July 2026. That earlier protest, organised by Unite the Clans, had descended into racist violence, resulting in 15 arrests.
What did political figures say at the counter-protest?
MSPs Alison Thewliss, a Scottish government minister, and Iris Duane attended the SUTR rally alongside STUC general secretary Roz Foyer. Thewliss addressed the gathering, noting that she had received messages from migrants who had relocated to Scotland and reported feeling unsafe in their communities.
"It's so important that we reach out to each and every person we see on the street, whether that's a smile or whether that's a handshake, or whether that is standing next to them if we see that they feel afraid," Thewliss said. "It is up to us all to make people feel safe and to stand up."
Foyer criticised the Pink Ladies event, arguing that organisers were exploiting concerns about violence against women and girls to advance a divisive agenda. She characterised the protesters as attempting to generate conflict within communities.
"It just confounds belief that people are prepared to weaponise a really important issue like violence against women and girls and use it to create more hate, more division, and more fear in our communities and in our society. That is exactly what's happening right now."
The STUC leader expressed concern about the scale of policing required and redirected her focus toward what she described as more immediate threats to public safety. She stated that masked individuals dressed in black, whom she associated with protest activity, posed a greater concern than immigration itself.
"I'm much more worried about the very angry people who are dressing in black, wearing masks and running about our city centre at the moment, trying to attack ordinary citizens who are just going about their daily business. Much more worried and much more fearful of that than I am of any migrants coming into our country."
Who represented the anti-immigration side?
Prominent figures from the Scottish right attended the Pink Ladies rally, including Thomas Kerr, Reform UK's deputy leader in Scotland, Reform councillor Audrey Dempsey, and online personality Craig Houston. According to reporting on the event, banners from Patriotic Alternative reading "Deport all illegal migrants" were displayed at the gathering.
Kerr stated that he had been invited by organisers to hear from working-class women attending the event. He characterised counter-protesters as extremists seeking to silence legitimate voices rather than engage in dialogue.
"The people who are there are trying to shout down working-class people who finally have a voice. They're really, really angry about what's happening in our city and rather than listening to these working-class women, what this mob over there are doing is lecturing them, telling them what they must feel. I think the extremists in this argument are the people trying to silence other people rather than allowing people to have their democratic right and the freedoms to say what they need to say."
A Pink Ladies spokesperson characterised the rally as a "peaceful gathering" designed to amplify the perspectives of "normal folk" and framed the event as focused on "the safety and protection of our own women and children."
What is the wider context?
The STUC had previously declared the Pink Ladies protest "racist" and called for a women-led counter-demonstration at the venue. Investigation by a national newspaper linked the Pink Ladies rally to a broader network of anti-migrant and far-right organisations, including Unite the Clans, the group responsible for the violent disorder at Glasgow Green in July 2026.
What happens next?
Police have indicated they will maintain a dedicated operational presence at Glasgow Green to minimise disruption and enforce separation between rival protest groups at future demonstrations. The force has signalled its commitment to preventing a recurrence of the violence witnessed during the July event.
Key Facts
- Hundreds gathered at Glasgow Green on 12 September 2026 for anti-immigration and counter-protests, with police maintaining separation between the two groups
- Clashes broke out during the day, with police responding to multiple incidents of disorder using mounted officers and aerial support
- A previous protest at the same location in July 2026 resulted in 15 arrests following racist violence
- Political figures including MSP Alison Thewliss and STUC general secretary Roz Foyer attended the counter-protest to oppose the anti-immigration rally
- The Pink Ladies event drew figures from the Scottish right, including Reform UK deputy leader Thomas Kerr
