The first of the anti-racism protesters are there early, setting up across from a group of three men on the other side of Kemper Avenue, who look bored rather than menacing.
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Anyone looking for cheap stereotypes might note that one is wearing a Tommy Robinson t-shirt, while one of those setting up on the other side has one with the legend ‘don’t eat meat, eat the rich’.
In something approaching a pre-match team talk, one of the organisers advises: “Avoid letting them provoke you.”
There are around 50 or so gathered at this point, facing almost no opposition – at least not yet.
They’re here to oppose an anti-refugee protest which was initially due to take place only on Newmarket Street, outside the office of local MP Euan Stainbank.
However, when organisers announced that they would then be marching to the Cladhan – they quickly clarify this will be “a peaceful group walk together as a community” – the STUC, Stand Up to Racism and local groups called a counter-protest.
Both sides will accuse the other of being made up of agitators who aren’t really from the area (in reality each is a mix of locals and activists) but waiting in the square for the anti-asylum rally to begin the local mood doesn’t appear particularly partisan.
“What’s all this about?” one man asks. When The Herald says it’s an anti-asylum protest, with an anti-racism demonstration taking place at the hotel, he says: “What’s the point in that? The council will just do what they want anyway.”
He continues with something unintelligible and almost certain defamatory about local government contracts.
A second asks the same question, receives the same answer, and says: “That s***e again?!”
By the designated start time of noon there’s a sizeable but not overwhelming crowd.
A man carrying a union flag with the words ‘Stop the Boats’ happily poses for pictures, warning “don’t be photoshopping that”.
A man poses with a Stop the Boats flag in Falkirk (Image: Newsquest) He says he’s never been particularly political but he’s been following the A Force For Good page on Facebook and feels he needs to take a stand.
The ‘about’ section of the page in question provides an address in Glasgow, an email contact and a website link. The website makes clear that A Force For Good is the trading name of AFFG Productions Ltd, whose sole director is Alistair McConnachie, the former UKIP Scotland organiser who was expelled from the party for Holocaust denial.
Also present, and drawing plenty of attention, is a black man who was adopted by an English family and grew up in the area.
“I hate when people think I’m on the other side just because of this,” he says, gesturing to his face. “I’m from here, just listen to the way I talk. I hate these immigrants, they’re f*****g p****s man. I’ve got a daughter and there are immigrants coming over here raping.”
Shortly thereafter he takes a selfie with a couple of fellow attendees and jokingly shouts a phrase once popular with the National Front. He will later be arrested and subsequently released for throwing eggs at the counter-protesters.
While there is no question there are far-right agitators exploiting community anger, they did not invent it.
In March 2025, 29-year-old Sadeq Nikzad was sentenced to nine years in prison for raping a 15-year-old girl in Falkirk town centre. He was an asylum seeker from Afghanistan who had been housed in the Cladhan by the Home Office. He will be deported after his sentence is served.
Today’s rally has been organised by the group Save Our Future & Our Kids Futures and one of their number holds a banner which includes the words: “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that rapist”.
Also on the big board are complaints about housing, the state of the town and taxis, concluding “it’s not all about the Cladhan”.
On the walk from the hotel through Falkirk town centre, there’s a building site where the Callendar Square Shopping Centre used to be, flanked by an empty row of shops.
High Street in Falkirk (Image: Newsquest) In the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation statistics, released in 2020, close to 25,000 people in the Falkirk Council area lived in the 20% most deprived areas compared to the national average, around 15% of the population.
Five areas – or ‘datazones’ – are among the 5% most deprived areas in Scotland, with Bainsford and Langlees moving from the worst 10% to the worst 5% between 2016 and 2020. Life is not getting better for people in these areas, and they’re angry.
Indeed, that’s something Save Our Future & Our Kids Future and those they call the ‘goon platoon’ in front of the hotel would agree upon.
One local resident, who is part of the counter-demonstration, says: “They’re right to be angry: inflation, unemployment, infrastructure and all the rest of it. But shouting at some people in a hotel won’t fix anything.”
Outside the MP’s office the crowd is growing, with chants of “stop the boats” and “send them home”.
A man in an ‘Erskine says No’ t-shirt hands out flyers on behalf of the far-right group Patriotic Alternative, the font screaming ‘White Britons to be a minority by the 2060s – or SOONER’.
Another point of agreement between the two sides is the subject of Keir Starmer, albeit for very different reasons.
As The Herald leaves the town centre protest to head to the Cladhan a chant of ‘Keir Starmer’s a wanker’ is ringing out to the tune of ‘Seven Nation Army’.
Prominently displayed on a barrier at the hotel is the Prime Minister with devil horns and the words “we’re no island of strangers”.
A poster featuring Keir Starmer with devil horns (Image: Newsquest) A few days later Sir Keir will tell the BBC he’s “very encouraging of flags” and has a St George’s cross in his flat, but that “when they’re used purely for divisive purposes, actually it devalues the flag”. If Falkirk is anything to go by he’s failing spectacularly to walk that particular tightrope.
Speaking of flags.
At the hotel the number of counter-protesters has swelled to around 300, and as the demo in the town centre ends the anti-asylum crowd is growing too. While the stereotype would be that they’re all draped in the union flag, there are a large number of saltires too. More, perhaps.
Is this a deliberate rebranding by some of those far-right agitators, conscious that an aggressively British form of nationalism is instinctively off-putting to many in Scotland?
One of the organisers from Stand up to Racism isn’t so sure.
“I could be wrong,” says Héctor Sierra, the organisation’s Scotland secretary. “But I think a lot of people put their hopes in the kind of civic nationalism we saw at the referendum, they would go to these Yes rallies and be exposed to left-wing, progressive ideas.
“They put their faith in independence, and the SNP, to deliver social justice and when that didn’t happen they turned to another form of nationalism.”
By around 1.30pm there are possibly 400-500 protesters across from the hotel, separated by some barriers and the width of a street from those standing in front of it.
Every so often a car drives through the middle and offers a honk. It’s never quite clear which side they’re on.
As the numbers grow, so too does the tension.
The counter-protesters have chants – “say it loud/say it clear/refugees are welcome here!” and music playing, as well as a slate of speakers. Local councillor Laura Murtagh takes the mic.
“If you want to talk about housing, jobs or public safety come and talk about it,” she tells those assembled across the street. “Don’t make up lies and scapegoat refugees.”
A man climbs onto the bottom rail of the barrier to make himself seen and screams “you’re a traitorous cow!”.
An anti-racism protestor outside the Cladhan Hotel in Falkirk (Image: Newsquest) “Somehow I don’t think I was getting your vote anyway…” comes the reply.
The sky darkens portentously, spits of rain beginning to spot the banners and placards. Two police vans pull up to either end of the street, blocking it, and a phalanx of officers stand on the dividing line.
One woman has brought her kids along, and they’re holding signs reading ‘stop the hate’ and ‘no human is illegal’.
This infuriates a man across the road, whose face turns puce as he screams: “Why don’t you open the door to that hotel, throw them inside, and let them get raped?”.
Somewhat away from the main protest, Patriotic Alternative appear with a banner calling for mass deportations. Simon Crane of Homeland is in attendance, as is PA activist Richard McFarlane.
It’s clear why such far-right figures are here, but what about the others?
The question is put to one of the anti-racist activists in front of the hotel.
“What would happen if we weren’t here?” he replies, gesturing to the other side of the street. “They’d be right in front of the hotel. If they tried to break in I’m sure the police would intervene, they’d have to, but they’d be right on the doorstep and there aren’t all that many police here…”
Anti-racism protesters in Falkirk (Image: Newsquest) The Herald crosses the divide and put the same question to a man called Kevin.
He says: “I’m here because the men in that hotel are unvetted and undocumented.
“These people (the protestors) are always being branded as far-right racists.
“Look at the line of police now, they’re always looking over here, they’re never looking at that side.”
He shares a story which he says has “upset” him, that of Johnny McCutcheon, a 92-year-old Black Watch veteran he saw in a video clip posted by the podcaster Craig Houston “sitting outside of Perth Tesco begging for money”.
The video itself is affecting, though the man in question has a home and says one of the reasons he comes is for company after his wife died. He says he has no problem helping people, but can’t understand why people don’t fight for their own country as he did.
The interviewer, who is not seen on camera, could probably be accused of leading the witness, it must be said.
Kevin continues: “Meanwhile in that hotel there are men – not women, men – getting three square meals a day, free healthcare, free electricity, free gas and they get money in their pockets (asylum seekers in hotels which provide meals get an allowance of £9.95 per week).
“There’s something wrong with this system, you need to look after your own before you look after other people.
“I’m sick to the back teeth of these people on this side of the fence constantly getting accused of being racist, there is not one racist chant coming from this side of the fence.
“Look at the other side: ‘smash the fascists and racists’. There is no fascism and racism here.
“They’re the socialists, they’re the fascists, the only difference between them and Hitler is a moustache. They suppress our free speech.”
The Herald puts it to him that while he may not be a fascist, and the same may be true for most of those with him, there are far-right figures here.
Patriotic Alternative activists in Falkirk (Image: Newsquest) “We don’t associate ourselves to them,” he replies.
But can he see why people might be concerned about the presence of groups like Patriotic Alternative and want to oppose them?
“I get that. But look at the banners over there – there’s a Palestine flag, Antifa flags, trade union flags, Stand up to Racism. There’s every flag under the sun over there.
“You’re talking about one organisation that’s attached itself to this group of good people – that’s no right big man.”
By this point things are beginning to die down, numbers dwindling though no side wants to be first to leave.
One of the organisers from the counter-protest surveys the scene across the street and concludes they’re a “demoralised force” compared to the last event in Falkirk, which he estimates drew more than twice the number
“But,” he sighs. “They’re not going to go away.”
That, at least, everyone can agree on.