Humza Yousaf calls on Suella Braverman to resign over protests
- Published
Humza Yousaf's in-laws arrived back in Scotland last weekend after being trapped for four weeks in Gaza
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf has called for the home secretary to resign after counter protesters clashed with police in London.
Suella Braverman previously branded pro-Palestinian demonstrators "hate marchers" and claimed the police were biased against right-wing marches.
Mr Yousaf accused her of "fanning the flames of division" and said her position was now "untenable".
But the prime minister said he still had "full confidence" in Ms Braverman.
The home secretary's claims that police were biased for letting the march go ahead prompted widespread criticism and calls for the prime minister to sack her.
Downing Street told BBC Scotland News its position had not changed since it commented on the row on Friday.
But pressure mounted on Ms Braverman as the Metropolitan Police said officers had faced "aggression" from counter-protesters ahead of Saturday's two-minute silence in Whitehall.
The force later confirmed it had made more than 100 arrests "to prevent a breach of the peace".
Protesters participated in a Pro-Palestine march at Waverley Bridge in Edinburgh
A group of protestors prevented shoppers from entering the Marks and Spencer shop on Glasgow's Argyle Street
Meanwhile, largely peaceful pro-Palestinian marches took place across Scotland in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Forres and Dumfries.
In Glasgow, the crowd listened to speeches from SNP and Green politicians as well as a representative of the Stop the War Coalition and an eight-year-old girl whose parents moved to Scotland from Gaza.
Several hundred demonstrators protested outside the main branch of Marks and Spencer in Argyle Street.
Shoppers were unable to get into the shop for around 15 minutes but police protected one door to allow customers to leave.
Police officers scuffle with counter protesters in London's Chinatown ahead of a pro-Palestinian protest march in London
The trouble in London began shortly after 10:00 when a large crowd of people bearing St George flags was seen walking along Embankment and shouting "England 'til I die".
Skirmishes broke out as police attempted to stop them from reaching the Cenotaph war memorial but the group pushed through, with some shouting "let's have them" as officers hit out with batons.
The Met posted on social media: "While the two minutes' silence was marked respectfully and without incident on Whitehall, officers have faced aggression from counter-protesters who are in the area in significant numbers."
The force added that it would use "all the powers and tactics available to us" to prevent the counter-protesters from confronting the main march.
Ms Braverman is responsible for the government department overseeing law and order
Mr Yousaf later took to X, formerly Twitter, and said Mrs Braverman had encouraged the far-right protestors with her rhetoric.
He posted, external: "The far right has been emboldened by the Home Secretary. She has spent her week fanning the flames of division. They are now attacking the police on Armistice Day.
"The Home Secretary's position is untenable. She must resign."
The Scottish Green Party's justice spokeswoman Maggie Chapman said: "The shameful scenes and disruption we have seen today are a direct result of the smears and misinformation that has been amplified and spread by the home secretary and her colleagues. It is a disgrace of their own making.
"If the home secretary had any dignity she would resign, and if the prime minister wasn't so weak he would sack her."