Warning of “swift and robust” measures ahead of George Square rally

John Swinney, the First Minister, made a statement in the Scottish Parliament declaring that there was no place for “right-wing violence” in Scotland.

And the Attorney General has said she will instruct the police to ensure that anyone involved in the unrest will be arrested and not released on bail and face prosecution in the Supreme Court.

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Although not explicitly stated, the warnings come ahead of a planned event in Glasgow this weekend.

A gathering billed as a “pro-UK rally” was announced for George Square, promoted by far-right figures such as activist Tommy Robinson.

A counter-protest was organised by Stand up to Racism, which was supported by many groups, including anti-fascist groups and trade unions.

The First Minister said: “To date, Scotland has not had to deal with incidents of a similar nature, despite attempts to organise these via social media.

But we must remain vigilant against ideologies that can lead to such violence. We cannot assume that we are immune from similar unrest on our own doorstep.

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“Should something similar happen in Scotland, our courts have extensive sentencing powers that they can use at their discretion.”

Swiney said the riots in England were “violence and brutality, pure and simple”.

He said the attacks were “carried out by people with a right-wing extremist ideology, by people who fell for this rhetoric, and by criminals.”

He added: “I want to be very clear: anyone in Scotland who considers replicating the abhorrent behaviour we have seen in parts of England and Northern Ireland this summer, their actions will not be tolerated, they will be dealt with harshly and criminal activity online will be taken just as seriously.”

“I want to reassure the people of Scotland that we have plans and preparations in place to ensure everyone is safe during this time.”

In a letter to the Criminal Justice Committee, Solicitor General Ruth Charteris said: “Although Police Scotland has no specific information that such unrest could occur in Scotland, prosecutors are working with their colleagues in Police Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) to develop plans to ensure that such crimes are responded to quickly and decisively and that the justice system can cope with the widespread criminality of this nature.”

She said: “I will be issuing directions to Police Scotland later this week on behalf of the Lord Advocate that people arrested for such offences will be remanded in custody to appear before the court at the earliest possible opportunity.

“The accused must expect that the public prosecutor will oppose their release on bail to ensure that public safety takes priority. They must also expect that they will soon be charged, if necessary before the High Court of Justiciary.”