Dear readers, it’d be remiss of The Bell to shy away from emotive topics. That’s why, last week, we gave you a run down of the anti-sexual assault/anti-migrant protests that spread across Glasgow as well as a long read about who goes Orange in 2026. All in the same week! Well, there’ve been more protests, so today we’ve got all you need to know about those, plus stacks more local news and goings on.
Robbie’s been on holiday a bit, making the most of the sun no doubt. Calum is in Landan Baby being positively blasted by the sun in the UK capital. Meanwhile, Beth basked in the back garden with pizzas and invented what she says is potentially the “drink of the summer” which we shouldn’t “knock before [we] try”: Diet Coke and limoncello… any takers?
Enjoy your Monday Briefing.
World class performances come to Glasgow’s streets
This summer, the Merchant City Festival returns to the streets to celebrate the very best of Glasgow’s cultural scene. There’s an incredible range of work on show: from FLOCK, a participatory outdoor dance inspired by urban birds, to the inquisitive performance piece I am From Reykjavik.
As with any good celebration, you can’t forget about the food. The Place at the Table series gathers leading chefs, food writers, broadcasters and cultural figures to celebrate the city’s diverse food culture and invites you to take a front row seat.
As part of the Glasgow 2026 Festival, the event is expanding to new areas of the city and, with 150 events, is offering more than ever before. Get involved from 24th July to 2nd August – click below to find out how.
Glasgow in Brief
❌ A week of protest
Following last week’s report on protests in Royston, Glasgow saw four more in the days that followed. On Tuesday, police were called to the East End after an angry crowd had formed outside a block of flats in Lamlash Crescent in Cranhill. It was reported that two men were removed from the address under police protection, and one man was arrested. Videos online showed a standoff between police and protestors with protestors chanting “beast”. The next evening, the protest moved south, as word had got around via social media that the two men who’d been removed from Cranhill the day prior had been placed in accommodation in Castlemilk instead. However, residents were mistaken and those in the property were not the same people that had been removed from Cranhill, confirmed by Police Scotland.
In a statement, Police Scotland said that “Violence, disorder, hate crime and threatening behaviour that poses a risk to safety is not legitimate protest. Anyone who engages in these offences will be dealt with swiftly and robustly."
On Thursday, weighing in on the protests, local councillor and Glasgow Reform MSP Thomas Kerr encouraged people to “use your voice”, but advised against a “turn to violence”. Speaking in a video posted on his Facebook account, he finished by asking viewers if they want to live in a city where “mass illegal migration is pushing our city to breaking point” and where “our women and children have been treated like second class citizens because of alien cultures that have been imported into our city?”
There were three more protests over the weekend. Firstly, Friday night in Springburn. Residents met and walked down to Springburn Park, the site where a 16-year-old girl was raped on 26 June. Hamid Wali, 36, has been arrested and appeared in court charged with rape. He made no plea.
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