No place in Scotland for the politics of hate - Ian Murray

Riot police stand off against rioters at the height of the disorder in Sunderland. Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty ImagesRiot police stand off against rioters at the height of the disorder in Sunderland. Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Riot police stand off against rioters at the height of the disorder in Sunderland. Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
As the father of an about to be four-year-old girl, the scenes from Southport last week hit me very hard indeed. The killing of three beautiful girls at a Taylor Swift themed dance class is unimaginable.

The photos of the smiling little girls in Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King are difficult to see. We should be mourning their deaths, supporting their loved ones, and helping the local community to grieve and recover.But some have used this as an excuse, almost a justification, to riot. Thugs and hooligans taking to the streets to terrorise communities and cause havoc. The Prime Minister and Home Secretary are correct: This is not a debate – it’s criminality; there are no justifications – it’s hooliganism; there is no excuse – it’s violence.And some far-right politicians who try and fan the flames of division based on fake and deliberate misinformation on social media should be dealt with by the law as anyone else would be that incite violence and disorder.The emergency services who responded to the dreadful events in Southport one day were back at work the following day, and attacked by violent thugs. Those first responders deserve every single ounce of our gratitude for what they do. Being subjected to violence by hooligans is grotesque.Most politicians, and every faith community, have come together to condemn these riots and so they should. Two messages must be made clear – that those responsible for violence and rioting will face the full force of the law, and that the politics of hate and division can never win.

Nobody should make any excuses for the shameful actions of the hooligans, thugs and extremist groups who have been attacking police officers, looting shops, burning down local facilities and attacking people based on the colour of their skin.Social media companies need to take responsibility for allowing disinformation to spread and for their platforms to be used to organise far-right disorder. To also allow the publication of the names of lawyers and services for residents is deplorable.There was dangerous speculation following a stabbing incident in Stirling over the weekend fuelled by social media. X, formerly Twitter in particular, was rife with rumours, amplified by English Defence League (EDL) founder Tommy Robinson falsely accusing a Muslim individual of the attack and alleging multiple victims. In a rare move, Police Scotland clarified that the suspect apprehended was a local white man and only one person had been injured.

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I met with the Chief Constable of Police Scotland this week to get updated on the issue in Scotland and expressed that she and her officers have my full support. There is no place in Scotland for racism, bigotry, or the politics of hate.

Rather than the news being filled with yet more violent scenes, we should be mourning these little girls who were so brutally murdered, recognising the way in which the local community has come together to heal. And we should be thanking those across the country who have helped communities recover after the riots by rebuilding, removing graffitiing and cleaning up. Those are the real heroes in all of this.Be under no illusions what is going on here and how dangerous it is for our communities, country and democracy. We won’t let thugs and their violence win.

Ian Murray MP is Secretary of State for Scotland

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