Police Scotland to send 120 officers to Northern Ireland after disorder

Over 100 Police Scotland officers are to be sent to Northern Ireland to assist with expected anti-immigration demonstrations and counter protests.

The force received a mutual aid request from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) after several nights of disorder that saw officers targeted with bricks and masonry.

Police Scotland said it will be meeting the request for 120 officers who are expected to travel before Tuesday.

It comes as First Minister John Swinney asked authorities to remain “vigilant” for potential disorder.

Speaking on Friday afternoon, Mr Swinney said: “The last few days have been a challenging and worrying time for many with the scenes of violence unfolding in other parts of the United Kingdom.

“I would like to thank Police Scotland for their continued work to protect our communities.

“Their ongoing engagement across Scotland and enhanced patrols are vital to support community cohesion and ensure public safety.

“We remain vigilant to the potential for disorder in Scotland and I have been reassured by Police Scotland that it has the capability and resources in place to respond should we face similar challenges, and that plans and preparations are in place to ensure everybody is kept safe.”

The First Minister has also urged social media giants to take “immediate action” to crack on disinformation and racism following concerns it has exacerbated tensions in other parts of the country.

In a letter to X, TikTok, and Meta – which owns Facebook and Instagram – he said police chiefs in Scotland have raised concerns at the length of time it takes for technology companies to remove “problematic” posts.

He told social media bosses: “It is clear to me that social media platforms have a duty to take action to ensure that individuals in our society are not subjected to hate and threatening behaviour, and that communities are protected from violent disorder.”

He added: “Everyone has a role in stopping the spread of misinformation. You and your platform have a specific responsibility to do so.”

Around 150 people joined a Stand Up to Racism demonstration in Paisley on Friday while around 100 gathered at a similar event in Bathgate.

The events were created in response to rumours on social media of planned anti-immigration protests.