Sandy Chugg, a 54-year-old notorious football thug and former leader of the Rangers Inter City Firm hooligan group, has been identified as one of the black-shirted men in unsettling videos of fascist-style parades in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The clips, shot in black and white and involving a drone, show men in military grid formation, dressed in black, as a wreath is presented with the message “We apologise” and the Italian phrase “Il fine giustifica i mezzi” (“The end justifies the means”), referring to UK immigration policies.
Far-Right Blogger Craig Houston’s Role
Craig Houston, a Restore Britain member and YouTuber with 95,000 followers, broadcast the videos. He has placed himself at the centre of far-right activism and anti-immigration protests across the UK. The clips were also shared by extremist Tommy Robinson, who tweeted “Edinburgh is rising. The men of Scotland are mobilising” and “Glasgow is rising.” Houston denied orchestrating the gatherings but admitted documenting them.
Sandy Chugg’s Far-Right History
Chugg, previously exposed by the Daily Record for involvement with the British National Party (BNP), nominated BNP candidate Robert Currie in Glasgow in 1997. He denied being an organiser but said on Houston’s site: “I’m involved in this, purely as a participant. I go, I participate and then eff off. Personally, I’ve had enough of sitting on my hands while our country burns.” He added: “It is peaceful (so far as it should be) but it’s a warning that enough is enough.”
Connections to Tommy Robinson
Sources told the Daily Record that far-right groups in Scotland are connected through secret channels to Robinson, the UK’s most influential far-right voice. Houston and Chugg jointly formed the Sons of Struth group, which campaigned against the Rangers takeover by Craig Whyte in 2012. Houston recently flopped as an independent candidate in the Holyrood elections but now adopts the Restore Britain badge, advocating mass deportation of immigrants. His videos include titles like “White Victims Don’t Count” and “The Secret Migrant Crimes.”
Campaigners’ Concerns
Anti-racism group Football Lads and Lasses Against Fascism said: “What we are seeing are efforts to form a street army… The involvement of Sandy Chugg from the Rangers hooligan firm the ICF is disturbing as this man’s past involves close involvement with the BNP. His friend Craig Houston’s affiliation with the Restore Britain party is also significant. These videos are designed to draw together factions of the far-right in Scotland with a classic fascist strategy. They must be stopped.” Mohammed Asif of Stand Up to Racism added: “Craig Houston’s material is attractive to young and naive people… He has glorified marches where people have covered their faces with masks before harassing people.”
