Nicola Sturgeon has been praised for keeping her cool following an ugly confrontation with right-wing candidate Jayda Fransen outside a Glasgow polling station.
The First Minister blasted Ms Fransen as a "fascist and a racist", and predicted the 34-year-old would be rejected by voters on the the Southside of Glasgow, where she is standing as an independent candidate in Ms Sturgeon's constituency.
Ms Fransen, a convicted racist, was deputy leader of the alt-right Britain First organisation, and later formed the British Freedom Party.
She was was found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment and ordered to pay a fine of £1000 after she targeted a Muslim mother of four who was wearing a hijab in Luton in November 2016.
Ms Fransen was also convicted of a other religiously aggravated harassment in 2018, which saw her sentenced to 36 weeks in prison
READ MORE: Former leader of Britain First to stand in Scottish elections against Nicola Sturgeon
In a video posted on social media, the alt-right activist is seen approaching Ms Sturgeon in the street before asking her to apologise for "mass immigration and Marxism".
She tells Ms Sturgeon: “What are you sorry for? Mass immigration, Marxism?
“I’m not a fascist. I’ve been on the ground speaking to locals who say you are an absolute disgrace …”
Her supporter - a man with a Glasgow accent, who is filming - then begins to shout slurs at the First Minister.
"You're a fascist and a racist." 👏👏👏
— Owen Jones 🌹 (@OwenJones84) May 6, 2021
Massive kudos to @NicolaSturgeon for facing down these far right thugs.pic.twitter.com/Pk6rtgaJbk
Responding, Ms Sturgeon said: “We’ll see what the locals’ view is later on.”
Ms Fransen then butts in: “The locals? what the ones you have flooded from other countries?
“The decent people of Scotland don’t want it flooded with immigrants.”
Ms Sturgeon tells her: “You are a fascist, you are a racist and the southside of Glasgow will reject you.”
Scotland’s First Minister then walks away with party members as Ms Fransen pursues her, talking about “mass immigration” and “Marxism”.
Ms Fransen later tells an SNP supporter who asks her who she is: “I’m not fascist, just a normal, decent unionist patriot.
“My grandfather fought the Nazis.”
A scene from the confrontation
In a piece to camera uploaded by the British Freedom Party, she accuses Ms Sturgeon of “running away like a coward”, adding: “Of course if you flood a constituency with foreigners and hardline republicans who absolutely hate Britain, hate the union, they are going to secure their votes.
READ MORE: Anas Sarwar — Voters in Glasgow will tell far-right candidate 'where to go'
“The unionist community are no longer unrepresented and we are coming for you.”
Ms Fransen has previously been pictured outside the constituency office of Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf holding a sign saying “it’s okay to be white” and has said she is running against the “SNP commie, Marxists, naughty people”.
The First Minister drew plaudits on social media for her reponse the right-wing activist - with one Twitter user saying "this is how a leader behaves".
Another added: "This is great, Nicola. Good for you."
Ms Sturgeon later Tweeted: "Glasgow Southside is the most diverse and multi-cultural constituency in Scotland - one of the many things that makes it so brilliant. I am confident it will unite today to utterly reject these fascists."
Glasgow Southside is the most diverse and multi-cultural constituency in Scotland - one of the many things that makes it so brilliant. I am confident it will unite today to utterly reject these fascists. https://t.co/ygPJRksO2d
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 6, 2021
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