Glasgow city centre is grappling with ongoing problems of crime, homelessness, and anti-social behaviour, with videos of beatings, drug deals, and racial violence frequently appearing on social media. A BBC Disclosure investigation in June filmed open drug dealing and consumption, thefts, arrests, and a brawl in the city centre.
Police were granted special powers earlier this year to temporarily ban individuals from a hotspot area around St Enoch Square and the Four Corners. Since the introduction of this "dispersal zone" in March, over 1,500 notices have been issued, but issues in the city centre are reported to persist.
Freedom of Information requests by the BBC reveal more than 400 violent assaults occurred last year in the main streets and square within the dispersal zone. On Union Street, located in the heart of the dispersal zone, almost 2,800 crimes have been recorded by police since 2023.
A convenience store manager on Union Street reported experiencing racial abuse multiple times daily and his shop being targeted by drug addicts. Police Constable Steven Gemmell confirmed the presence of "a lot of child exploitation" in drug-running, noting that young dealers often conceal drugs in their mouths to avoid possession charges.
The city has also seen recent protests, with an anti-immigration demonstration turning violent and a subsequent anti-racism rally clashing with far-right demonstrators.