Cameron Scott
Saturday 18 th March 2023, a typical Spring day in Glasgow with the weather alternating between periods of cold rain and warm Spring sunshine. We personify the weather by using statements such as “It can’t make its mind up” or “It doesn’t know what to do”, but it seems to make sense and also makes for an uncomfortable few hours sweating under waterproofs that may not actually be needed after all. The changeable weather is also the topic of conversation between groups of protesters as I move amongst them in preparation for the work ahead. I always find it useful to start photographing as soon as I arrive at these events, more as a warm up for the task ahead. It gets the eyes tuned up.
The protesters were gathering in George Square, right in the heart of the city and would embark on a circular route through the city centre before arriving back in the square, where speakers would then address the crowd from a temporary stage. Ironically, they were gathering under statues of men now recognised as playing a role in Glasgow’s shameful historic connections to slavery, and indeed would march along streets with the same association by name.
The event was organised by Stand Up To Racism Scotland and was one of several taking place in major cities across the UK as part of AntiRacism Day. These protests were taking place against a backdrop of increasingly hostile rhetoric and legislation from the global embarrassment that is the current UK government, a government not just without a moral compass but also a total lack of humanity for those in society who need help the most. Propped up by a mainly right wing and supportive mainstream media, and having failed dreadfully on every other metric affecting society, their last-ditch attempt to cling to power and appeal to their support base is legislation designed to stop desperate people arriving on the beaches of South East England. During the previous week, football legend and BBC sports presenter Gary Lineker was suspended after his employers bowed to government pressure. His crime was taking to social media to mention the similarity between the language used in the introduction of thegovernment's controversial Illegal Migration Bill and that of 1930s Germany. He was of course correct, and his suspension lasted only a few days. Coincidentally, this protest was held on the same day that Home Secretary Suella Braverman flew to Rwanda to tour facilities intended to contain deported immigrants, while her policy to carry this out remained the subject of legal challenges. Closer to home in Scotland we have the ongoing inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh, a 31 year old father of two from Sierra Leone who died in police custody in Fife in 2015 after being restrained by six police officers.
The crowds, whose banners and placards reference the background detailed above, continued to grow and eventually were called forward by the marshals to form the procession, which finally got underway once the police had closed the road to traffic. Once we were moving the fun began. This is an athletic event, almost a contact sport. Running backwards, dodging street furniture, ducking respectfully under other lenses, a shared joke with another photographer, moving within the crowd, all while framing shots and trying for the best composition, and I just had to get the protester in the Gary Lineker mask. It’s hard work but thoroughly enjoyable. Occasionally the procession would stop, allowing the various groups to come together again, and also allowing both my and the camera’s buffer to catch up, ready for the next leg.
All too soon all three thousand of us were back in George Square once again, ears ringing from extended close proximity to too many loudhailers. Time to catch up with some photographer friends before making my way home, and the topic of discussion – the weather of course!
