MEMBERS of the racist Scottish Defence League are to be met by fierce protests when they attempt to stir up hatred in Alloa this Saturday
Police Scotland say they are prepared to deal with any threat to public safety caused by the white supremacist’s day out in the Clackmannanshire town.
The far-right group are protesting the decision by the local council to take in desperate families fleeing the civil war in Syria as part of a government refugee resettlement programme.
In amateur-looking leaflets posted through doors in the town, the SDL, which has historic links to the BNP, claims the local authority is spending council-tax cash housing refugees while disabled and elderly locals seeking housing are being ignored— a claim the council say simply isn’t true.
At least two protests against the SDL are planned.
One, organised by local anti-fascists will be on the High Street across from the rally of right-wingers.
The other will be at the train station where SDL organisers have asked all supporters travelling to Alloa to "muster" before heading into the town centre.
Lauren Newitt, who has organised the protest at the station, said it was “a gut reaction to finding out the SDL are coming to Alloa. I couldn’t sleep after reading about it in the local paper.”
Newitt, a student who lives in the town, added: “We have purposefully put ourselves at the train station where we know they’re going to be dropped off and then ushered into town by the police. We basically want anyone around that area, coming on or off trains to know that the SDL are being opposed.
“I couldn’t stand the idea that one person that came from somewhere other than Scotland would walk past the SDL event and think, ‘oh, so Alloa doesn’t want us here.’ “It‘s about being as welcoming as we possibly can be.”
Another group, involving local campaigners, anti-fascists and activists from Unite Against Fascism, have organised the Clacks Cares Nae Nazi Stop The Racist SDL counter-rally in the town centre.
A spokesman, who asked to remain anonymous, said they had spent the last week handing out leaflets, rubbishing the propaganda being spread by the far-right group.
“The SDL claim to care for local people and local nations but these are racists and Nazis through and through,” he said. “The SDL and their membership are nothing but a nasty organisation. They want to sow division and hatred. We want to make sure they have a torrid time.”
When the group held a protest in Glasgow’s George Square last June they were routed. The 50 SDL who turned up were outnumbered four to one by protesters.
The whole event lasted just thirty minutes. Although it was ostensibly a Scottish Defence League demonstration, fascist groups from England and Northern Ireland turned up to bolster their numbers. One giant St George’s Cross identified the North East of England White Infidels, another banner was emblazoned with the National Front logo.
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