A 29-year-old man has been arrested after a delivery driver was allegedly hit with a traffic cone during a far-right protest in Glasgow. The arrest came after a dramatic dawn raid in Pollokshields, where specialist officers smashed into a flat on St Andrews Crescent around 8am on Tuesday.
The incident relates to disorder on July 25, when a Just Eat delivery driver was allegedly struck on the head with a traffic cone while trying to collect an order from Palmtree Kitchen on Bridge Street. Victim Muhammad Jawad Yaqoob previously spoke about how the incident left him “scared to go outside”.
Arrest and charges
Police executed a search warrant to find the occupant and distinctive items of clothing allegedly worn during the offence. However, the man was not home, so officers attended the man's father's home in Govan at around 8.30am. There, they discovered the alleged offender and arrested him. The man was led from the building in handcuffs wearing a black cap, black jacket and blue shorts. He has been charged with assault and racial aggravation.
Today's arrest comes after ugly scenes broke out at Glasgow Green on July 25, when a Unite the Clans protest was met by a counter-demonstration. Around 1,700 people attended the park, while around 100 were in Glasgow city centre, with 15 people arrested over incidents including assault, possession of offensive weapons, breach of the peace, obstruction and resisting arrest.
Investigation and wider context
Police said disparate groups had been involved in violence, disorder, intimidation and hate-motivated offences, while several weapons were recovered. Photographs from the rally showed some attendees wearing balaclavas and appearing to perform Nazi salutes. The force launched extensive enquiries, including reviews of CCTV, mobile phone and dashcam footage, while officers gathered statements to identify those responsible.
Tensions surrounding far-right, fascist and anti-immigration protests have grown across Scotland this year. Racially motivated offences have surged by 13 percent in Scotland in the last year, with 5,871 incidents, according to Police Scotland data. A total of 144 anti-immigration protests have been recorded across 19 towns and cities in Scotland in the past 18 months. More than £1 million has been spent on overtime and 3,000 officer rest days cancelled as a result.
Elsewhere, in the days leading up to the rally, a Falkirk vet told how he was left covered in blood after an alleged racist assault in broad daylight. Dr Zohaib Arshad said he was subjected to racist abuse before being attacked, with his head repeatedly smashed against a wall and a knife being used to threaten him. Regarding Falkirk, numerous demonstrations have taken place outside the Cladhan Hotel in the town, which is being used to house asylum seekers.
Protests blew up across Scotland in June after a video showed an assailant on a north Belfast street stabbing and slashing vulnerable Stephen Ogilvie, who has links to Scotland, in the face and neck, shouting in Arabic. Hadi Alodid, 30, a Sudanese refugee, appeared in Belfast magistrates court charged with attempted murder. A rallying call was issued online in the wake of the attack for demonstrations to be held across Scotland.
Impact and warnings
Angry scenes of unrest in Glasgow saw five people, including two police officers, being injured. Worshippers also had to be locked in the city’s largest mosque as tensions flared and unrest spread, in scenes First Minister John Swinney described as “unacceptable”. The force has warned that anonymous social media accounts are “tapping into fears of communities”, with concerns that misinformation can lead to innocent people being targeted. That was the case for Quroum Beg, 43, who was sent death threats after a clip shared by Tommy Robinson falsely accused him of filming children - which Police Scotland confirmed was “completely inaccurate”. Campaigners have since warned police must take “robust action” against disorder before “someone is seriously hurt or killed”.
Chief Superintendent Emma Croft has warned those involved in disorder at the Glasgow Green protest were to “expect a knock on their door” amid the major investigation. She told the Record: "Today's operation was mounted on the back of the disorder and violence which we saw in Glasgow city centre on July 25 this year. This operation saw a male arrested responsible for an incident in Bridge Street, Glasgow." I'm hoping it does (send a message to others involved in disorder that day). This male is the first to be arrested on the back of the enquiries which have been mounted following the incident in Glasgow that day. "We are continuing to work our way through all elements of evidence we have. So, others should expect a call at their door shortly." If people have further information for us, I would encourage them to call 101 through the usual means, through Crimestoppers where you will remain anonymous or the major incident public portal.
