Tory councillor ‘assaulted’ in pub over Israel-Hamas conflict views

A police investigation is under way after an alleged assault on a Glasgow city councillor at pub on Remembrance Sunday.

Thomas Kerr said his security has been ramped up following the incident which reportedly involved an altercation over his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The reported assault is said to have taken place at the Woodend Pub in the Mount Vernon area of Glasgow following a day of pro-Palestinian protests.

Kerr, who ran in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election last month, was allegedly verbally targeted before tensions flared to the point where there was a physical assault.

Kerr told STV News he has been forced to up his security including him being told to carry a panic alarm and to avoid public transport.

The Scottish Conservatives condemned the alleged assault with a spokesperson for the party saying: “Thomas has been fully co-operating with the police in relation to this alarming incident.

“He was subject to a level of abuse which no politician should have had to endure while he was simply socialising in his local community.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Monday, November 13, police received a report that a man had caused a disturbance and assaulted a 27-year-old man within premises on Hamilton Road Mount Vernon, Glasgow on Sunday, November 12.

“Officers are following a positive line on enquiry in relation to this matter.”

It comes as police in Wales are investigating an attack on a senior Labour MP’s constituency office after she abstained on the Gaza vote.

Jo Stevens’ office in Cardiff was sprayed with red paint and posters were put up accusing her of having “blood on her hands”.

The incident at the Cardiff Central MP’s office in Albany Road took place on Thursday evening.

A police spokeswoman said: “South Wales Police is investigating criminal damage to a property on Albany Road.

“A number of items have been seized for examination and enquiries are on-going.”

The shadow Welsh secretary supported a three-line whip by Labour to abstain on an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech calling for a ceasefire and instead backed party leader Sir Keir Starmer’s position of longer “humanitarian pauses”.