Police have confirmed that a protest in Castlemilk, Glasgow, targeted the wrong address, as senior officers condemned anonymous social media accounts for spreading misinformation and stoking community fears.
Protesters Target Innocent Homeowner
On Wednesday, July 8, an angry mob gathered outside a flat in Castlemilk, believing it to be the home of an alleged criminal. However, the property belonged to an innocent member of the public. Property was vandalised and a projectile was thrown from the crowd as police responded to the incident.
The protest followed similar scenes in Cranhill on Tuesday, July 7, where police escorted two men from a property as a large crowd shouted obscenities. A 32-year-old man was arrested during the disorder.
Police Warning on Hate Crime and Disorder
Police Scotland issued a warning about hate crime and violent disorder following the incidents. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: "While most protests are peaceful, there have recently been instances where people with criminal records have attached themselves to protests with the aim of inciting disorder. There has also been mistaken identity, including in Castlemilk, where the home of an innocent member of the public was targeted."
He urged people to "think carefully about what they read online."
Anonymous Accounts Tapping into Fears
In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland, ACC Waddell highlighted the role of anonymous social media accounts: "Anonymous accounts – so therefore we can't engage in advance of any protest – (are) definitely tapping into fears of communities. I think in almost each of these protests, information that's been put out has actually been factually incorrect."
He added: "Communities being scared, rising up, tapping into their fears, but actually the base cause of it has been misinformation put out by somebody that's probably not been local to that community in the first place. That's a really challenging dynamic, and it's one that we are now facing on a daily basis."
Planned Protest Based on False Information
Mr Waddell pointed to a planned protest in Possilpark this weekend, based on "entirely factually incorrect" information about a care home being expanded to house asylum seekers. Glasgow City Council confirmed the planning application was for an extension only, not for asylum accommodation.
Union and Politicians React
David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, described the scenes as "disgraceful" and "orchestrated by individuals that are not from Glasgow." He said: "I think it's happening right now because there's certain individuals (for whom) it's about violence, it's not about protest, it's about causing disruption." He added that participants were being "manipulated" and "used," and called for more police officers on Scotland's streets.
SNP MSP Zen Ghani, representing Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok, called the online rhetoric "horrendous" and said: "The misinformation is of a great concern, whether that's misinformation we're seeing pass through communities or misinformation online, it's extremely concerning."
Thomas Kerr, deputy leader of Reform UK Scotland, said: "The city feels as if it's at breaking point and that's now coming to a head because the political establishment, in particular, have ignored working class communities for far too long." He added: "I'm always supportive of protests, where it crosses the line is when you see violence, which is what we've seen in Cranhill. When you start smashing up police cars, attacking police officers, you lose the fight."
