As Glasgow struggles to come to terms with a series of high-profile disturbances, Police Scotland has issued a stark warning against the spread of misinformation on social media, which appears to be driving the unrest. The force has confirmed that at least one incident was a case of mistaken identity, while others were sparked by false online claims about alleged sex offenders living in specific neighbourhoods.
The most recent incidents have seen large crowds gather in Cranhill and Castlemilk, with protests taking place on Tuesday and Thursday respectively. In each case, the trigger appears to be misinformation spread via social media platforms. The Cranhill protest was sparked by online speculation about a man charged in connection with an alleged assault, who had recently moved to the area. However, it emerged that this claim was also factually incorrect - as in Castlemilk, where the target of the protest had not been charged with any offence.
These incidents mirror similar disorder seen last week in Royston, Glasgow, in response to an alleged sexual assault. In all these cases, no one has yet been found guilty of the crimes that prompted the public outcry and subsequent protests. The disturbances have not been without consequence for law enforcement, with five police officers sustaining injuries across the three protests. Two men have since been arrested for assaulting officers during these events.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell of Police Scotland highlighted the role of individuals spreading misinformation online from outside Glasgow, who are "tapping into fears within the community about perceived sex offenders... of an ethnic background." He emphasised that much of this information is factually incorrect and warned against a planned protest based on false rumours that a care home in Glasgow will be closed and converted into accommodation for asylum seekers.
Waddell drew parallels to previous incidents, noting that some of the current unrest feels like an amplification of past targeting of individuals based on their skin colour. He urged the public to challenge such narratives and avoid participating in demonstrations generated online with a clear intent to cause disorder or violence. Waddell also cautioned against people being manipulated by external influences into committing hate crimes.
David Kennedy of the Scottish Police Federation condemned the scenes as "disgraceful," stating that for some individuals, the motivation behind these gatherings is violence, not legitimate protest. He expressed concern that people in Scotland are being "manipulated" by external forces and stressed that hate crime and disorderly conduct will be tackled with zero tolerance.