A far-right protest in Edinburgh’s Old Town is being patrolled by police as counter protestors turned up to shout chants and boo the campaigners.
Officers were forced to form a line between the two groups who gathered outside of St Giles’ Cathedral on West Parliament Square. Far-right protestors have gathered as a part of The Great British National Strike which saw demonstrations all over the country on Saturday, May 24.
Unite, Stand up to Racism and Pro Palestine counter-protests attended the demonstration in droves with hundreds in attendance in comparison to the small group of around 15 far-right activists.
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Hussein, one of those countering The Great British National Strike, told Edinburgh Live: “We’ve been here to approach the fascists that wanted to gather today on the steps of St Giles. We’ve prevented them from doing that. We want to move them off. There is no place for fascists.
“I wasn’t expecting the turnout, it’s more than I expected. Need to mobilize to make sure [there are] bigger numbers than next time.”
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The small number of far-right protestors in attendance. -Credit:Edinburgh Live
Onlookers have also gathered to observe the protest. Goran, a 23-year-old student from the Netherlands said: Looking at the protest and counter protest, can hear it in the background. Parts are yelling ‘nazi scum’ and some, ‘refugees go home’. We weren’t expecting it.”
Goran and his group were on their way to the writer’s museum when they heard the chants.
He continued: “Similar things are going on in the Netherlands. Interesting to see protestors and counter protestors so close to each other in the line with the police. Never seen something like that in the Netherlands. Interesting to see both sides, one is significantly bigger than the other.”
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