Proposals to introduce buffer zones around refugee accommodation in Scotland have sparked debate in Perth – including from some pro-refugee campaigners – following recent protests outside asylum hotels.
The Scottish Government has said it is considering buffer zones around asylum seeker hotels after a protest on the 17th of January saw anti-immigration demonstrators rush towards the Radisson Blu Hotel and bang on the windows before police intervened.
However, at a pro-refugee counter-protest in Perth on Saturday, a number of activists and local figures said they were unconvinced that buffer zones were necessary or effective, arguing that improved policing and consultation would be preferable to new legislation.
Depute Provost for Perth and Kinross Council Andrew Parrott said he did not support buffer zones based on his observations of the protests in Perth.
“I am not for buffer zones at present on the basis of what I have seen happen at the protests in Perth,” he said. “I do not think the case has been made for them.
“Creating buffer zones allows the far-right to claim an impact I don’t think they deserve. What we do need is good policing of events, as we saw last Saturday.”
A Perth Against Racism organiser was critical of buffer zones, describing them as an unnecessary legislative response.
“I don’t think there’s actually a need for that,” they said. “It’s easy to say these things and it makes you look like you’re doing something, but I don’t think it’s something that will happen, and probably there isn’t really a need for it.
“If you bring in legislation, it often ends up being used against the left as well. I don’t believe legislation is the cure. Laws don’t make me feel safer.”
Stella, a volunteer English teacher from Perth who attended Saturday’s protest, said she believed the proposal risked being a knee-jerk reaction.
“I don’t think it’s helpful,” she said. “There are other things you can do that you can enforce. It would stop people being up too close, but a lot of reactions by governments don’t think far enough ahead.”
Mary Alexander of Perth Against Racism said the group has not yet taken a formal position on buffer zones and stressed the need for discussion before any decision is taken.
“This is something that needs to be consulted on rather than just saying a buffer zone is the answer,” she said. “We saw with abortion rights how long it took to get those buffer zones in place and how much discussion there was.”
She added that the group is due to meet First Minister John Swinney later this month to discuss the issue further.
While MP for Perth and Kinross-shire Pete Wishart acknowledged that buffer zones could take a long time to implement, he stressed that they would help prevent a repeat of the scenes seen during the earlier protest.
“One thing it would definitely stop is what we saw two weeks ago, where people were breaking through police lines and approaching the hotel itself, rattling on the windows and creating panic inside,” he said.
Mr Wishart said he believed the proposal was worth considering and suggested there could be sufficient support across Scottish politics for it to be included in party manifestos, despite likely opposition from the Conservatives and Reform UK.
Supporters of anti-immigration group Perth Peaceful Protest said they opposed buffer zones, describing them as “a complete and utter waste of time and resources” and repeating claims that asylum seekers are being prioritised over local communities.
