The Falkirk Unity rally was a large anti-racist demonstration held on Saturday, 6 December, 2025, organised by groups like Falkirk For All and Stand Up to Racism, to counter far-right activity and show solidarity with asylum seekers housed at the Cladhan Hotel, with hundreds marching from Callendar House to affirm “Refugees welcome” and promote unity against division, drawing a strong contrast to a nearby Reform UK rally led by Nigel Farage.
Being a Muslim hijabi photographer and journalist, this was a very challenging experience for me. Many volunteers from Stand Up to Racism, Falkirk For All, Women Against the Far Right and fellow photographers warned me repeatedly about the dangers ahead.
I knew how difficult those few hours were for us while marching in that area. But I could only imagine what it was like for those living in the hotels and facing these threats 24 hours a day.
I was able to successfully photograph several abusers who were using hand gestures and shouting hateful slogans at pro-refugee marchers. This place felt like a no-immigrant zone.
During the Falkirk Unity rally, violent behaviour continued. Glass bottles and other objects were thrown at asylum and refugee supporters. One man sustained a head injury, and an ambulance was called.
Later, one man was arrested and charged with a hate crime.
9 September 2025: Attack on the hotel
A few days after an earlier protest, on 9 September 2025, a brick was thrown through the window of a hotel in Falkirk used to house asylum seekers, prompting a police investigation.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said:
“Around 12.05 am on Tuesday, 9 September 2025, we were called to a report of a window being broken at a premises on Kemper Avenue, Falkirk. Inquiries are ongoing.”
Ongoing fear and trauma for people seeking asylum
After the 9 September 2025 incident, many journalists contacted me asking if I could link them with asylum seekers staying at the hotel. I tried reaching out through various organisations, but it seems they want to remain invisible.
The reality is that they are too terrified to face anyone or express how they are feeling. These protests cause long-lasting trauma for people who have already fled war, persecution and violence.
Many local people told me that Falkirk was not like this five months ago. They spoke about anger and frustration, feeling neglected by the government’s priorities on different issues. Some said they felt pushed towards supporting Reform because they believed their own rights had been ignored.
7 September 2025 protest highlights
At the protest on 7 September 2025, the anti-racist side held a clear majority. Over 250 people attended, while fewer than 150 supported the far right – down sharply from around 1,000 at their first protest just weeks earlier.
Some far-right attendees were dressed as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while others were draped in Union Jack flags, chanting “Stop the boats” and “Send them home.”
The far-right group Save Our Future and Our Kids Futures once again revealed its hostility. Dominated by white men, they heckled anti-racist women speakers, including a survivor of sexual violence who bravely shared her story.
Known neo-Nazis such as Simon Crane (Homeland Party) and Richard Macfarlane (Patriotic Alternative) were present. Their organiser, Connor Graham, was absent again, having supported a Holocaust deniers’ event in Edinburgh the previous day.
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Councillor Laura Murtagh’s powerful speech
Councillor Laura Murtagh addressed the crowd, saying:
“Right now, on the other side, I saw a video from the protest last week where someone ended their speech with ‘Keep Scotland white, keep Britain white.’
All of you in front of me are my neighbours, and this hotel is my neighbour. The people on the other side of the road are also my neighbours.
I think there is a Jesus in the crowd, and he has a message: love your neighbour as you love yourself.”
She continued:
“I am a victim of rape. I am a victim of sexual violence. Those words are hard to say out loud, and I know how many years of therapy it takes to be able to say them.
And yet people shout, ‘Wait until it’s your daughter being raped.’ Is that protecting women?”
The crowd responded loudly: “No”.
She concluded:
“Women’s organisations and communities supporting survivors are saying clearly: this movement is not about protecting women. We need to be very clear about that.”
Harassment after the protest on 7 September
After the protest ended, members of Stand Up to Racism and other pro-immigrant activists were followed and filmed all the way to the train station. Abuse was shouted, including: “They should all be deported! “
The abuse was directed at both activists and the police providing protection. Four people were arrested following the third protest outside the Falkirk hotel.
30 August protest highlights
From the Scottish trade unions, Dave Moxham said:
“We have enormous problems in this community, such as the closure of Grangemouth, the fight for jobs at Alexander Dennis, the safety of women in their homes and on the streets and cuts to public services.
None of these problems is the fault of refugees. It’s the millionaires and billionaires and people like Farage who let them off the hook while they bleed our country dry. These campaigns spreading lies are paid for by billionaires.”
Far-right presence and incidents – 30 August
Police Scotland Chief Stevie Dolan explained that one arrest was for an outstanding warrant, another for breach of the peace (the suspect was later released without charge) and another related to displaying an offensive banner the previous week.
On 30 August, members of the neo-Nazi Homeland Party, including Simon Crane, were present. The fascist, antisemitic group Patriotic Alternative unfurled a banner, and members of Britain First also took part. Nazi salutes were repeatedly observed.
I personally witnessed, alongside fellow pro-refugee rally attendees, that many far-right protesters lived nearby. They returned to their homes to rest before coming back hours later. Observers noted how quickly they identified asylum seekers leaving the hotel. On one occasion, a protester chased two men leaving the hotel and filmed them without their consent.
Life inside the hotel – 30 August
On the same day, I spoke with a man living in the Falkirk hotel. Despite being stuck there for eight months, he had been volunteering five days a week.
He is not alone. Many others staying in the hotel volunteer with local organisations, showing remarkable resilience and commitment to the community around them.
By 9 pm, the Stand Up to Racism team and pro-immigration demonstrators had left the area, handing responsibility to the police to guard the hotel.
Community solidarity continues
Despite everything, communities continue to show unity in Falkirk. People bring food and snacks for protesters, dance together, chant and sing loudly. That compassion grows stronger with every protest.
As we move into 2026, my hope is for peace, safety and lasting unity in Falkirk—for the families living behind hotel doors, for communities pushed to the margins and for a town that deserves better than fear and division. May the new year bring healing, justice and the courage to stand together.
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