Tuesday June 30th 2026
Glasgow City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Sarah Hilley
Public buildings in Glasgow will now be open for those feeling threatened after people were attacked because of the colour of their skin during a demonstration earlier this month.
All Glasgow City Council buildings will be available after councillors agreed to sign up to Refuweegee’s Safe with Me campaign at the most recent council meeting.
The properties will provide refuge for people to escape to if they feel unsafe while out and about in the city.
It comes after councillors expressed concern over a city centre march on June 9, which saw people attacked as participants wore masks. The disorder followed an attack in Belfast, which saw Hadi Alodid, from Sudan, being charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie.
Council leader Susan Aitken said the “far right threat is growing in its boldness and the nature of its activity”.
She told the full council meeting: “Even if it is only a small number engaging in this behaviour and there is evidence to suggest it is being coordinated by individuals from outside Glasgow, it is utterly unacceptable that the organised targeted terrorising of innocent bystanders took place in our city. There is nothing about that, which was legitimate protest or free speech. It was criminality. It was motivated by racism and hatred.”
Councillor Aitken said Refuweegee’s Safe with Me campaign is a “wonderful example of spontaneous civic solidarity – one that I’m delighted to give this council’s backing to”.
The SNP councillor joined Labour city leader Rashid Hussain and Greens leader Jon Molyneux to agree a cross party motion standing up against racist violence.
Councillor Hussain said: “We saw hundreds of masked individuals marching through our city centre hiding behind balaclavas and shamefully performing Nazi salutes on Buchanan Street.
“Think about the sheer cowardice of that display and what occurred on the Clydeside. A city built on the backs of international solidarity and working class unity.
“We saw innocent members of the public attacked simply because of the colour of their skin. We saw worshippers forced to lock themselves inside Glasgow’s largest mosque just to stay safe from a rampaging mob.”
He praised a peaceful anti-racism protest that occurred on June 13 when “thousands of peaceful citizens” flocked to the streets and “dwarfed the fascists 20 to 1”.
Councillor Molyneux said: “People in our city and Edinburgh have been attacked simply because of the colour of their skin.”
He added: “Let me be clear it is not protest – it is racism, it is criminality and it has no place in Glasgow. ”
The council motion also agreed to “collate a directory of other practical solidarity resources and contacts, such as the Hate Crime Toolkit which is available for anyone who may be affected by hate crime, and to host this on the Council website and share it with elected members and community councils”.
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