REFORM’S Holyrood deputy leader has reported one of Scotland’s leading human rights lawyers to police for alleged hate speech.

Thomas Kerr, who recently came under fire for a “dogwhistle” video featuring blurred pictures of ethnic minorities in Glasgow while claiming the city had become “lawless,” has asked police to investigate a speech made by Aamer Anwar at an anti-racist counter-demonstration on Saturday.

Reform’s own councillor, Audrey Dempsey, had been addressing sieg-heiling supporters at a nearby “Unite the Klans” demonstration at the time, which descended into sporadic violence across the city centre.

Mr Anwar told anti-racists: “I wonder what would have happened if, in response to the knife rampage in Leith, Muslims or members of the non-white community had masked up and organised pogroms against the white community, had set fire to white people’s homes with children running for their lives.”

Dismissing Mr Kerr’s claims that the comments encouraged “hostility,” Mr Anwar said: “Ah the irony. Thomas Kerr should know police are busy tracing those masked thugs responsible for inciting and taking part in Saturday’s race hate, attacks on police officers and innocent people of colour – there will be no hiding place for them.

“Kerr claims to have called out Saturday’s violence, yet several of his fellow Reform members stood next to the thugs, many of whom were masked, whilst racist abuse, threats of violence and Nazi salutes took place. 

“I doubt Reform has handed over a single name or video of these thugs to the Major Investigation Team at Police Scotland.”

He added: “Will he now suspend those Reform politicians that attended the ‘Unite the Klans’ event on Saturday and assist police with their inquiries?”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We have received information which is being assessed.”