Trades union group expresses 'deep sense of anger' at prospect of Scottish Defence League gathering in Dundee
A leading Dundee trade unionist has spoken of his anger at plans by a right-wing group to hold a demonstration in the city.
Protesters take part in a Scottish Defence League demonstration in Glasgow in February.
Mike Arnott, secretary of Dundee Trades Union Council, has said Dundee is no place for the ''politics of hatred'' he believes is promoted by a group known as the Scottish Defence League.
The organisation has applied to hold a demonstration in City Square on September 1, with members of the city council's licensing committee set to decide on Thursday whether or not to grant the request.
The application has angered Dundee TUC members, however. They claim the timing of the gathering is particularly distasteful and have requested the committee hear a deputation from the union ahead of any decision.
Mr Arnott said: ''It is with a deep sense of anger that we learnt that the so-called Scottish Defence League are planning to hold a demonstration in Dundee.
''We find it incredible that those whose policies and tactics mirror those of Hitler's fascist thugs have chosen to hold such a commemoration on the anniversary of the day in 1939 when Nazi Germany's forces invaded Poland, thus beginning the second world war.
''This was a war in which many Dundonians fought and died, many making the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against Hitler and the evils of fascism, including the same racial supremacist theories that the SDL spout today.
''In reality, their selection of Dundee as a venue has nothing to do with them having any sort of base in the city, or indeed in Scotland, but is the latest manifestation of this organisation's policy of parachuting their hatred into Scotland's communities to try and sow discord and disharmony.
''Despite their claims, they are almost exclusively interested in stirring up hatred against members of our Muslim community.''
A letter from Tayside Police to licensing committee members states that the force has no objection to the SDL gathering in Dundee, with Superintendent Brian Weir adding his belief that the demonstration can be controlled ''with minimum risk'' to the public and businesses.
The group recently held a march through the streets of Edinburgh which, despite a simultaneous counter protest from a group called United Against Fascism, passed off without incident.
The Scottish Defence League is often considered to be a splinter group of the higher-profile English Defence League, who regularly protest against what they describe as ''Islamic extremism''.
The Courier again made efforts to contact the Scottish Defence League but there was no response.
Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Wire
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