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Scottish referendum: Unionists and independence supporters separated by police in Glasgow's George Square Scottish referendum: Police struggle to control Unionist rally in Glasgow's George Square
(35 minutes later)
Dozens of Unionists and 'Yes' voters gathered in George Square, Glasgow, following a ‘No’ vote in last night’s Scottish independence referendum. Police in Glasgow were last night struggling to control a mass pro-Union rally after hundreds of demonstrators chanting "Rule Britannia" marched through the city centre in celebration of Scotland rejecting independence.
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland told BBC News there were about 100 people in each of the two groups, and although there had been some “minor disorder” it had been dealt with quickly by officers. The tensions began in George Square, where at around 6pm a stand-off developed between a Union Jack-waving crowd holding "No Thanks" banners and supporters of Scottish independence, who have regularly been gathering there in the build up to the vote.
Independent Reporter Chris Green, who is on the scene in Glasgow, has said the situation has escalated, and the city centre is "overrun" with Unionists. Men, women in children draped in Union Jacks and carrying banners associated with Orange Lodges in Glasgow, said they were in the square to celebrate the "saving of the union". However the chants, songs and behaviour resembled a football crowd rather than a political march.
The mood in the square was initially peaceful, but some demonstrators predicted the scene could turn “nasty” later. The two sides were initially separated by a human cordon of police officers, shouting insults at each other and waving flags. The pro-Union group shouted: "We love Scotland more than you", "Alex Salmond is a wanker" and "You let your country down".
At around 5.30pm a group of men waving union jack flags entered the square, and by 6.30pm police had formed a human cordon to separate the two groups. The Yes campaigners gradually dispersed, but the number of pro-Union supporters steadily increased to around 500. After a sudden surge from the crowd, police appeared to lose control of the demonstration, which broke out onto St Vincent Street and then up Buchanan Street, one of Glasgow’s upmarket shopping districts.
At around 8pm, a fight reportedly broke out behind the Union line, with punches thrown – and a few minutes later independence activists began dispersing. Scene on st Vincent place pic.twitter.com/J38Ua2gAqC
Around 20 minutes later, police reportedly lost control, before containing what had become a Union demonstration on St Vincent Street, around half a kilometre away. Police attempted to kettle the marchers as they moved, using horses and linking arms to keep the mob from reaching other parts of the city centre. By 8.30pm the police had made around 10 arrests. Earlier, officers were seen removing individuals from their cars before they reached George Square.
Total chaos here. Police don't have control pic.twitter.com/ZOKdx4Z0NJ
Hundreds of Unionist are now shouting 'rule Britannia' on Buchanan Street, and are battling with police. It is unclear whether any arrests have taken place.
Now on Buchanan st pic.twitter.com/rDDQDMse28Now on Buchanan st pic.twitter.com/rDDQDMse28
Although the police were not wearing riot gear and did not deploy batons, officers with access to specialist equipment were waiting in reserve. Police said that as long as Yes campaign supporters were kept away from the city centre, they believed the alcohol-fuelled celebrations would fade away.