A FAR-RIGHT group has targeted the Scottish Parliament and Nicola Sturgeon’s official residence as its “battle bus” tour of the country sparked fury.
The Britain First organisation, which has been repeatedly described as “fascist”, was spotted in Ayrshire yesterday with vans reading: “Britain First – Save the Union – Stay United”.
The former party and its leaders have previously been removed from Facebook, with the social media site saying they had “posted content designed to incite animosity and hatred against minority groups”.
READ MORE: Britain First sparks fury with 'battle bus' tour of Scotland
Jayda Fransen was Britain First’s deputy leader until 2019. She ran against Nicola Sturgeon in the Holyrood election, securing a humiliating 46 votes in Glasgow Southside.
Fransen, who was convicted of anti-Muslim hate crimes during her time at Britain First, attempted to confront Sturgeon outside a polling station on the day of the election – with a video of the First Minister’s response going viral.
Sturgeon told the candidate: “You are a fascist. You are a racist, and the southside of Glasgow will reject you.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon deals with far-right extremists at Glasgow polling station
Britain First’s appearance in Scotland, their first campaigning work in the nation for years, sparked an angry response.
“This is a fascist party who are only here to stir up trouble,” wrote Labour MSP Carol Mochan. “I am sure the people of Ayrshire will reject their nonsense resoundingly. There is no place for racism here.”
And Allan Dorans, SNP MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, told the Daily Record: "The last time those linked to this band of bigots came to Scotland during the Holyrood elections they were humiliated and roundly rejected at the ballot box.
"This racist group and its poisonous views have no place in Scotland, and it is vital that we challenge hatred wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head."
Britain First said it intends to set up a first branch in Scotland.
Despite not having a formal branch, they have previously stood candidates here – in 2014 they received just 1.02% of the vote at the European elections.
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