John Swinney: There is no place in Scotland for hatred of any kind

John Swinney has said “there is no place in Scotland for hatred of any kind” after a meeting with members of Scotland’s Muslim community yesterday. 

The First Minister and the justice minister Angela Constance met with Imam Habib Rauf, representatives of the Scottish Refugee Council, the Muslim Council of Scotland and members of the wider Muslim community at the Edinburgh Central Mosque. 

Swinney and Constance expressed solidarity following the violent scenes that took place in other parts of the United Kingdom over the weekend. 

Earlier, they met the chief constable and senior officers from Police Scotland to discuss preparedness and provide reassurance to communities. 

Swinney said: “The type of behaviour we have seen in other parts of the United Kingdom is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Scotland. I want to send my good wishes to the communities affected, as well as the police officers and other frontline responders working tirelessly to keep them safe. 

“I have always been proud that Scotland is a diverse, multicultural country. The Scottish Government is unequivocally committed to championing the rights of all of our citizens, including strengthening the already resilient communities where people live in peace.  

“I am grateful to have met with members of our Muslim community and those who represent asylum seekers today, to pledge our support and reiterate the point that Scotland is a welcoming society.” 

Police Scotland has said it is closely monitoring the violent protests which have occurred in parts of the UK over recent days.   

The force added there is no intelligence indicating similar incidents are likely in Scotland and it is continuing to liaise with a range of partners to maintain this level of reassurance.   

Swinney added: “The Justice Secretary and I also met with Police Scotland today who continue to monitor the situation very closely. I have received assurances that Police Scotland is prepared to deal with any similar situation in Scotland should it arise.  

“I want to thank all those officers and members of Police Scotland staff for the work they are continuing to do through ongoing engagement with communities across Scotland and for the reassurance they are providing. 

“There is no place in Scotland for hatred of any kind, and each of us has a responsibility to confront racism and religious prejudice wherever and whenever it appears. People will always try to divide us – and it is imperative in these moments that we come together even stronger to stand defiant.” 

Assistant chief constable Catriona Paton said: “We understand that these recent events may cause concern, that is why we have focused our efforts on increasing policing visibility and engagement across the country as our primary commitment remains the safety and wellbeing of all our communities and our officers and in building trust and confidence. 

"We continue to closely monitor the events in England. Police Scotland is dedicated to upholding human rights and will not tolerate violence or discrimination against any group. 

“We wish to thank the Scottish people for their support and while we believe there is no cause for alarm, we encourage anyone with concerns or information to report them to us.”