Anti-Muslim hate group plans protest in Glasgow

Anti-Islamic thugs are planning on bringing their hate-filled message to Scotland’s biggest city – but anti-fascist protesters vow to oppose them.

Posts on Facebook show Pegida Scotland - a branch of the far right group which started in Germany and has now spread throughout Europe - plan to hold a demonstration in Glasgow in the "near future".

Pegida is an acronym of Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West.

The group protests against what it calls Islamisation of Europe and has links to the Scottish and English Defence Leagues.

Its Facebook page was started last month and has over 3,600 likes.

One post claims: “We have now put together a fantastic team. Our mission is simple - rid our island of Islam.”

A post by a Pegida spokesperson on the social networking site says: "The aim would be to do something in Glasgow in the near future, probably in the next few months.

"We don't know the date at the moment because we have a lot of things to work out.

"We're just trying to get the message out about who we are.

"We are not a racist group. We are balanced."

The group already plan a rally in Edinburgh on 21 March – UN Anti-Racism Day.

Joshua Brown, of Unite Against Fascism (UAF) Glasgow, said they would hold counter protests at any future rallies.

He added: "Glasgow has a proud history of standing up against racism and fascism and Pegida will not be welcome in Glasgow.

“They are not welcome anywhere.

"Glasgow is proud of its multiculturalism.

“Immigrants are welcome, refugees are welcome, Muslims are welcome, but racists and fascists are not welcome.”

A Glasgow Council spokesman said they had received no formal application for a rally to be held in the city.