THERE is no place for racism and hate in Glasgow.  

That has been the overwhelming message from our city in the past fortnight and the past few weeks have shown Glaswegians stand together in support of what unites us while unequivocally rejecting racism, fascism and Islamophobia.

These have been hugely challenging times for millions across the UK. More than 20 towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland erupted in violent riots as far-right agitators shamefully exploited the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport.  

Since then, there have been fire attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers; mosques, homes and businesses have been targeted by race hate thugs; and members of the public have been assaulted on the streets because of the colour of their skin. The terror inflicted on whole communities may have complex factors behind it but chief among them is unadulterated bigotry.

At the outset of this wave of violence and disorder, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon aka Tommy Robinson, the leading figure in the English far-right, attempted to spread his racist, anti-Islamic violence to Glasgow under the guise of “pro-UK” rallies. That the Glasgow public and politicians from across the spectrum responded to Yaxley-Lennon with a firm rejection of his toxic chaos speaks volumes for who we are as a city. And it was hugely encouraging at the weekend to see communities across these islands make sure the voices of decency and humanity were heard above the hate.

But we cannot become complacent or assume disorder of the nature and scale we’ve seen in recent weeks could never happen here. The far-right has long had a presence in Scotland and been involved in violence in recent years. What is clear though is that Scottish political attitudes and rhetoric about immigration differ significantly to what has been heard from certain politicians and commentators south of the border, who have been far too ready to provide ammunition for extremists to exploit.

And while Glasgow has thus far been spared the racist attacks on people, businesses and homes that we’ve seen elsewhere, a climate of fear and vulnerability has been created, for refugees and asylum seekers but also for people and communities who have called Glasgow home for generations. When Glasgow has such a strong record of integration for asylum seekers and refugees, it is distressing to hear the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) talk about the concerns many recent arrivals now have for their security and wellbeing. As the SRC’s chief executive Sabir Zazai has said: “Nowhere is immune to racism.”

Since these incidents began, council officers and local police divisions have been engaging with our black and minority ethnic citizens, faith organisations and the wider community to offer reassurance and ensure support is in place where it’s needed. I know this support has been well received across the community.  

To give Glaswegians and organisations additional reassurance, we’ve also created a page on the council’s website at glasgow.gov.uk/supportforcommunities to guide those who may be seeking extra support. It provides information on how to contact emergency services, schools, colleges and universities; links to the relevant places to report hate crime or anti-social behaviour; get support from Glasgow Helps and the Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector; and for businesses seeking advice and assistance if they feel they need to plan for disruption.

And as they have been since the outbreak of this violence and disorder, senior council colleagues continue to be in regular discussion with partners in Police Scotland to ensure Glasgow continues to be a safe and tolerant city.

We won’t drop our guard or just cross our fingers in the hope we won’t be affected by far-right extremism. Glasgow will remain vigilant and do all we can to protect all of our citizens, regardless of skin colour, background or place of worship. And my message to Yaxley-Lennon and his ilk remains as I have already stated publicly: you are not welcome in Glasgow.