SNP suspends members over Glasgow protest

THE SNP has suspended two members involved in the protests at a Scottish Labour event in Glasgow on Monday.

By The Newsroom Wednesday, 6th May 2015, 1:00 am

Piers Doughty-Brown, right, at the protest in Glasgow. Picture: Hemedia

Piers Doughty-Brown and James Scott attended the rally, which saw protesters chanting ‘red Tories out’ as Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy tried to address a group of campaigners while accompanied by comedian Eddie Izzard.

Mr Murphy tweeted after the event: “Scotland’s flag and streets don’t belong to any one political cause.

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“Labour won’t be silenced by ugly and aggressive nationalism.”

The Scottish Labour leader had placards thrust in his face and was confronted by one protester, identified as Sean Clerkin, known for chasing Iain Gray into a branch of Subway in Glasgow during the 2011 Scottish election campaign.

Following an uneventful campaign stop in Edinburgh, Mr Izzard said: “It’s okay having different opinions, but everyone should be able to put their opinion forward.

“This aggressive, this violent emotion, why violence? Don’t have violence, we should just put our point of view forward and then everyone makes their choice on Thursday.

“This is democracy, it’s all about voting. They should let the democratic process happen, it’s called democracy; we’re putting forward a point of view, we’re asking people to vote Labour and they’re scared of these words being heard.

“Why are they scared of that? Let everyone have their say. It’s called democracy.”

The SNP confirmed that Mr Doughty-Brown had been placed under ‘administrative suspension’ by the party while Mr Scott has been suspended ‘pending an investigation’.