What did they think they would achieve by yelling "scum, scum, scum"? Who were these people? Some newspapers report they were organised through social media. I suggest they come from the same mould as rent-a mob or rent-a-thug. Everyone is entitled to protest but as has been proven again and again, it's the dignified protestors who are respected.
According to the Guardian they were 'students, anti-racist campaigners and activists in the radical left pro-Scottish independence movement'.
I shouldn't think many who support the Yes campaign will be proud of how these people behaved yesterday. Opinions can be expressed without the use of derogatory language.
If only they realised - although I doubt they have enough sense - that their actions did nothing for the independence cause but handed the No campaign a free gift.
As for Nigel Farage, he won't be too concerned. It was good publicity for his party, although dreadful PR for Scotland.
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'students, anti-racist campaigners and activists in the radical left pro-Scottish independence movement'.
How many were Scottish? Not that many.
Another fabulous demonstration by the left of how they use fascist tactics to silence people who don't share the same point of view as they do.
While I think the reaction Farage got wasn't positive, I think the net effect of this in terms of Yes Scotland & Better Together will be zero.
UKIP is no where in Scotland, if any undecided's look at this and turn to the No side then there will be as many again who'll look at it and turn to the Yes.
Although the press will paint it as a Yes versus No thing - it patently wasn't, it was a right versus left thing and as we know; Scotland is more to the left generally than it is to the right.
The most telling thing was Farage saying after someone suggested he stick the Union 'jack' up his arse that this was 'anti-English'.
The Union Flag doesn't only represent England, is it not supposed to be our flag too? Was it also anti-Scottish or does Ukip have a similar level of disdain for Scotland as the average Daily Mail reading Tory?
In which case, I thought the protest was quite measured in tone.
The lefties love free speech don't they (not).
The Union Flag doesn't only represent England, is it not supposed to be our flag too? Was it also anti-Scottish or does Ukip have a similar level of disdain for Scotland as the average Daily Mail reading Tory?
And that is why it flies all over Scotland, not? The Golden Star Shackle is far more common.
… at least he found sanctuary in a pub. Every cloud.
Countrymen? Wonder how many were Scottish? Students,who still haven't left primary grade.
Anti racists?,When you see on television Asians and Indians,who have made a life for them and their families in England ,complaining about the excessive immigration into what is now the densest settled country on earth, tighter packed even than Japan. Check it out yourselves. Could be that a lot of people, and not just native anglo saxons have had enough of uncontrolled immigration into this country.
Activists? Their only activity is being activists,aren't they lucky this country isn't run by their political brethren. And the best rent-a-thug can get is about 50?
Well, if Farage and UKIP weren't well known before, they are now !
How many people really know what
UKIP has as aims, the "manifesto".
You might find after reading it carefully,its what a lot of people want, go read it on the net, but then I would guess most people have never read the Lib/Lab/Con spiels
either. And dont forget the SNP spiel.Be informed by your own research and not by vested interests.
A very gentle interview was dismissed by Farage as " he sensed the same hatred" as he sensed yesterday - I have to say he didn't do himself any favours by hanging up ,in fact he made a prat of himself.
As to yesterday how many demonstrators were there and how many press?
And how does Severin manage to tell " by looking" that they were SNP?
ANd why was Mr Farage in Edinburgh and not Aberdeen?
Does he think Scotland stops at Waverley Station?
So many questions!
So many questions
"Activists in the radical left pro-Scottish independence movement".
Extreme left wing nationalists is the same as Hitler's National Socialists that is Nazis, and they were using the same methods as employed by his Brown Shirts, violently attacking their opponents.
Farrage has a right to campaign in Scotland and is presumably gaining some support on the basis that many Scots would prefer to remain in the UK but outside the EU, to an "Independent" Scotland inside the EU. Hence the tactics of these extreme nationalists.
The BBC is quoting a man called John Martin who was apparently one of the organizers. As far as I can tell, Martin is a 32 year old full time student's representative at Edinburgh College who holds some very strong opinions about Farage whose party he describes as "the BNP - just dressed in a better-fitting suit."
I do wonder why the college feels the need for full time "student" representatives, what those positions involve and precisely what aspect of that role Martin was fulfilling at the protest. He may have been there in a professional capacity representing a majority view of the students or the college. Or perhaps in a private capacity having booked the day off in order to attend.Perhaps someone should ask Edinburgh College to clarify?
Not a pretty bunch of bananas.
True TT, but Farage has disappointed me today with his rant. He should have ignored it all and kept his dignity.
Oh I think it will have an impact on the Yes campaign pa_broon. When out today two folk asked me if I was 'proud' of my 'colleagues' behaviour. They're not folk who are politically active either.
But as I said to TT, Farage let himself down today.
Not a good image of an independent Scotland Woodsy.
Flags cause quite a lot of dissent within political parties don't they Jim.
Aye indeed JRB. :)
I'd agree that it did more for UKIP than Scottish independence Apogee.
Did Severin say they were SNP Dorothy? I think most of the reporting said they were supporters of independence.
... and few answers. :)
We're repeatedly told that all of us here want to stay in the EU EP. Nobody's asked me though. Perhaps I'm the only one, but I doubt that.
I'm all for students protesting Ivan because that's what they do at that age, but now they seem to have rent-a-mob and Martin certainly hasn't done his place of learning any favours.
Oh CH, we can read such tripe on many social networks. I ignore it. That's what Farage ought to have done today and not tried to milk it.
From an eyewitness.
"I shouldn't think many who support the Yes campaign will be proud of how these people behaved yesterday. Opinions can be expressed without the use of derogatory language."
Well said Rosie.
This mob are a disgrace.
Farage would undoubtedly have expected such nonsense and consequently has had publicity since which he could only have dreamed of.
That the mob responsible have been identified as part of the YES Scotland group is very bad news indeed which is why Mr Salmond should have come out and condemned their behaviour instead of more or less defending it.
The Better Together side will be delighted.
"Farage has disappointed me today with his rant. He should have ignored it all and kept his dignity."
I think Scotland should have ignored Farage and kept our own dignity. Ignoring him would have sent a much louder message and avoided the awful scenes we saw because of people who, clearly, see free speech as something that should only be available to some. (There's a name for that!) I just can't believe these idiots played into his hands and shamed us all.
So the words 'scum' and 'racist' were never used even though I heard them on the news CH?
As I've said, all this is just grist to the mill for the No bunch.
If Farage's attendance here had been totally ignored we would have made our point so much more eloquently.
Aye Jo, jings I've just said that to CH before I read your comment. :)
The media have had a field day with it. What an opportunity and no matter is most of what they say is hyped, the images will stay in folk's minds.
It appears that the anti UKIP demo was organised by an Englishman called Mike Shaw, president of the Edinburgh Uni’s Student Association Socialist Society.
Also present was Max Crema a Labour Sabbatical Officer at Edinburgh Uni and full time student union official supported by the Labour Party.
He’s also a member of the LRC – the Youth wing of the Labour Representative Committee.
Does that mean that Ed Milliband will be asked by the Scotsman to make an apology on behalf of the Labour Party?
I certainly hope so M but I'm not holding my breath - the harm's already done. Only within the political sphere (such as ourselves who are interested) will it be known it was Labour who was involved. The wider public will just believe it was 'independence supporters'. That's the shame.
Sorry SB but the wider public are becoming more aware of the blatant bias and misreporting of the MSM. Yes there are a few who still believe that our state broadcaster can be trusted with the the truth but that number is decreasing daily.
Have you heard or read anything about Labour Voters for Independence or BARD2014 who have been demonstrating with 4 to 5 times of the farcical Farange fandango on the MSM? No. Why?
The MSM will clutch at any straw to keep the status quo even if that means giving media coverage to any despot to tar the independence movement with.
Think about it, but this has shown just how far the UK political classes have separated themselves from those they who actually elected them.
Scotland trusts Holyrood more than Westminster and Farage wants to dismantle Holyrood and being nicey nicey when 'racists' such as UKIP attract with there policies then the disenfranchised will use intemperate language to show public disgust at his policies.
I wouldn't use 'scum' but ignorant will not have the same effect in where we are.
Yes I've read about Labour for Independence CH.
My point of the blog post was to say how stupid the protest was and very short-sighted. There was a video which made me feel ashamed, so it wasn't just the MSM reporting.
UKIP aren't racist just because they want to dismantle Holyrood. The Scottish Tories aren't too keen on Holyrood either.
While I don't have time for UKIP, the best way to deal with Farage's visit would have been to completely ignore it. We're trying to show we're adult enough to run our own country and having a bunch of yobs screaming at a UK politician on video isn't doing us any favours.
It seems you are believing the propaganda again.
Well done you have just fallen for a UKIP publicity stunt!
Now that you know the protest was organised and attended by Labour supportters and Englishmen and women, will you be demanding Milliband do something? Are you disgusted by the English response?
In an elected dictatotship all you can do is protest , as you have no vote on any issue except your dictator.
Represpentative democray creates protests!!!
Direct democracy we would have a vote on the important issues, and no nasty protests!
so Subrosa who is really responsible for the shameful disgraceful protest?
Its a shameful unionist publicity stunt ,and an effect of elected dictatorship
I think in my 51 years as an adult I'm aware of propaganda when I see it cuthulan.
No I haven't fallen for anything. It takes much more than a political party to make me even slip a little from my conviction that Scotland should be independent.
You just don't get the point of my post do you? The general public will form their opinions by what was shown on video and perhaps a little of what was written in the media. How many are going to probe the individual protestors credentials when it's (correctly) reported that they support independence?
I'm in favour of protests but, and I repeat myself again, without using abusive language. Have been on a few myself in my younger days and we were always friendly and dignified.
People associate the independence movement with the SNP and that will never change.
By far the best way would have been to ignore Farage's visit and let him have his 3 column inches in the Record. Sometimes silence is the best type of protest.
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