The female Living Rent activitst was manhandled by the security guard as they tried to enter the conference.
A female protester was grabbed by the neck as she tried to ‘storm’ into a major Glasgow conference.
Campaigners from tenants’ union Living Rent marched into the Old Fruitmarket area on Friday morning, November 28, to disrupt the annual State of the City Economy event, with First Minister John Swinney in attendance.
Glasgow City Council said protesters “stormed” the conference and “physically attacked venue staff,” but a union rep denied any workers were harmed and said the council’s security was “aggressive”.
Footage from the union, captured a security worker grabbing a woman’s neck, and the union has also alleged another member was punched.
One council source said: “You shouldn’t be coming to your work and getting injured. This wasn’t a political protest, it was thuggery.”
Stella Rooney, chair of the union’s Glasgow branch, said members were “peaceful” and the council’s security “acted totally disproportionately to our actions and the threat we posed”.
The woman is grabbed by the neck. (Image: Supplied)
Protesters entered the conference hall as council leader Susan Aitken was making her opening remarks. They unfurled banners and chanted: “Whose city? Our city.”
The union said around 40 members disrupted the conference to protest underinvestment in the city’s communities. Living Rent has an ongoing campaign demanding the council invests revenue from its upcoming tourist tax into public services.
Members said they have been ignored by the council and its leader. At the conference, Cllr Aitken said she was “more than happy” to meet with them.
After the protesters left, the council leader added: “It’s a shame they weren’t interested in staying to listen to what we are going to say, because I think both I and the First Minister are going to talk about all of the issues that they raised.”
Aiken added that they would discuss housing, poverty, transports and “all the other challenges Glasgow faces, which I am determined to deal with”.
Following the conference, a council spokesman said: “Let us be absolutely clear; these people stormed an event and physically attacked venue staff. This is completely unacceptable.
“As part of our review of how our staff were treated, we will of course consider any evidence that is shared with us.”
It is understood there were venue staff, from the council’s arms-length firm Glasgow Life, and licensed stewards from an outside contractor present.
The Living Rent protesters.(Image: Supplied)
Ms Rooney said: “As our members attempted to enter a conference to peacefully protest and hold our elected leaders to account, Glasgow City Council’s security was aggressive, punched one of our members and pulled one young woman by the neck.
“Our members were peaceful, and simply attempted to enter the hall in order to highlight the issues that we face, including sky high rent and bills, expensive and unreliable buses, and crumbling public services. At no point did they harm any staff member.
“The council’s security acted totally disproportionately to our actions and the threat we posed. This highlights how desperate our city council’s leaders and Glasgow big business bosses are to avoid speaking with ordinary residents about the issues they face, and it’s totally unacceptable.”