A major crowd control operation involving mounted police and almost 100 uniformed personnel was mobilised to deal with a demonstration by rival political groups in Dundee on Saturday.
The protest by the far right Scottish Defence League and counter demonstration by the Unite Against Fascism (UAF) alliance passed without any arrests thanks to strict segregation outside the City Churches.
The two groups the SDL heavily outnumbered confronted each other and traded chants but were kept apart by barriers and four mounted officers.Click here for more coverageThe SDL members, who were bussed into Dundee from as far as Sunderland, shouted their loathing for what they called militant Islam, but their message was drowned out by the UAF, who condemned their racial intolerance.
Up to 200 members of the UAF along with local politicians and dignitaries met in City Square for a rally and protest against the visitors.
Gallery: Rival protests go head to head in Dundee
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie told the far right group: “You’re not welcome here.
“Your poisonous doctrine ofseparating people on the basis of the colour of their skin, or their religion, or their ethnicbackground that poisonous creed is not welcome.”
Liz Cushnie, of Unite Against Fascism Scotland, said: “This is the community coming out and saying the Nazis aren’twelcome here.
“They are Nazi scum who have come down to our communities, whipping up racism and trying to divide us.
“The city of Dundee doesn’t want the Nazis. This is about saying we are many, you are not.”
The group, holding placardsproclaiming “Nae Nazis” then congregated at the east side of City Churches, where police escorted them behind a barrier.
Shortly before 1pm the first of theSDL arrived at the same spot andofficers guided them behind a facing barrier,maintaining a 50ft distance between the two groups.
Heated exchanges passed between the groups with the UAF singing out slogans including: “Whose city? Our city,” “Nazi scum off our streets” and “We are black, white and Asian and we’re Jews, There are many, many more of us than you.”
The initially subdued SDL became more vocal as their numbers were bolstered by a coach-load and two minibuses of their members.
Chants of “S, S, SDL” were heard and members of the right wing group held high flags and banners emblazoned with slogans including “Deport Islamic terrorists and hate preachers,” and “RIP Lee Rigby.”
A police spokesman said there were no arrests over the confrontation between the rival protesters in the city centre.