JOHN Swinney and Police Scotland urged calm as they claimed there was “no evidence” widespread violent rioting in England and Belfast would spread to Scotland.
Cops confirmed on Saturday that they had received no intelligence suggesting similar extremist protests in Scotland – despite two far-right rallies planned in the coming weeks.
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Police Scotland said on Saturday they wanted to “reassure communities” there is “no intelligence indicating similar incidents are likely in Scotland”.
They added: “We continue to liaise with a range of partners to maintain this level of reassurance.”
And the First Minister attempted to reassure Scotland’s Muslim communities, visiting Edinburgh Central Mosque alongside justice secretary Angela Constance.
There he met with Imam Habib Rauf, representatives of the Scottish Refugee Council, the Muslim Council of Scotland and members of the wider Muslim community.
It came after a meeting with Police Scotland, however there was no Scottish Government attendee at the Prime Minister’s emergency Cobra meeting in London with sources saying no invite was extended.
Mr Swinney said officers had told him there is “no evidence of any efforts to incite any events such as those that we’ve seen in other parts of the United Kingdom in Scotland”.
He said: “But there is constant vigilance to make sure that that issue is properly and fully taken into account.”
The First Minister added: “I want to provide visible reassurance as First Minister of Scotland that any behaviour that threatens this community or any other community is totally unacceptable and I would call on anybody who’s contemplating being involved in such an event not to do so.”
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Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there was “no place” for “far-right thuggery” on the streets of the UK.
He said: “All those rioting must face the full force of the law. We cannot have migrants, asylum seekers and our Muslim communities living in fear.
“The Prime Minister is right to say that all those rioting will be held to account and that these violent actions have no place in our society.”
