Safety of asylum seekers in Glasgow under discussion

In Glasgow on Friday a Sudanese man was shot dead by police.

Badreddin Abadlla Adam was 28 and he had stabbed a number of people at the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street.

On Friday Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “Terrible incidents such as we have seen today are, thankfully, very rare in Scotland. This event has understandably shocked the people of Glasgow, and indeed, the whole country.
“My thoughts and very best wishes are with those who have been injured and their families, including our colleague Constable David Whyte who was seriously injured in the course of doing his duty. I offer my personal support to all those affected.
“Officers have once again run into danger to protect their fellow citizens. Their professionalism as police officers was outstanding. I pay tribute to their bravery, selflessness and commitment to protecting the public.
“I briefed the First Minister and the Prime Minister earlier today on the circumstances and advised them both that we are not treating the attack as a terrorist incident.
“It is essential enquiries are now carried out to establish the full circumstances and all speculation must be avoided.
“Scotland is a safe place to live and work. We have cohesive communities who work with their police service to maintain our peaceful and respectful way of life.
“In the context of the current health emergency, and to respect those injured today and the people of Glasgow, I ask everyone to exercise personal responsibility. Please, do not gather in crowds this weekend.”
Constable David Whyte

Six people including PC David Whyte, 42, were injured in the attack. PCC Whyte was critically injured although he issued a statement from his hospital bed. Police Scotland continue to investigate what happened.

Speaking after a meeting on Monday with Chris Philp MP, Home Office Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts, Scotland’s Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Our thoughts remain with everyone impacted by the tragic events of Friday night, in particular those who remain in hospital, and their family and loved ones.

“While the immediate priority is to allow the police time to conclude their investigation, I have spoken to Home Office Minister, Chris Philp MP to express my concerns over the safety and wellbeing of those accommodated by the Mears Group in hotels in Glasgow.

“I have made clear that those staying in hotels must receive all the help they need at this difficult time, particularly those who had been staying at the Park Inn. I also again pressed the importance of financial support for people accommodated in hotels, so that they have some control over how they live their lives, and am pleased that the Minister has agreed to reconsider this issue. I have also made clear that lessons must be learned from this dreadful incident, both in terms of the incident itself and the circumstances that led up to it.

“I again asked that the Home Office share plans and actively engage with local partners, particularly Glasgow City Council, for moving people on from hotels into long term accommodation in the community. The Minister has undertaken that a plan will be shared tomorrow. I am pleased that he has also agreed to a joint meeting with the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council to discuss wider planning for the future of asylum following the Covid-19 pandemic.”

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