Humza Yousaf has called for Suella Braverman to be sacked and not allowed to resign.
Speaking to journalists as he arrived at Remembrance Day commemorations in Edinburgh this morning, the First Minister accused the Home Secretary of “fanning the flames of division”.
Mr Yousaf said: “The result of that, of course, is, as we saw, individuals on the far right actively attacking the police.
“I’m afraid that the Home Secretary’s position, in my view, is untenable.
READ MORE: Palestine protest Scotland: Glasgow march, in pictures
“She should not even be allowed to resign, she should just be sacked by the Prime Minister because no Home Secretary should be fanning the flames of division – quite the opposite.”
His remarks today follow comments the First Minister made yesterday when he said the far-right has been "emboldened" by Ms Braverman after far-right counter protesters clashed with police officers at the Cenotaph in London ahead of a pro-Palestine march in the city.
Mr Yousaf wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "The far-right has been emboldened by the Home Secretary. She has spent her week fanning the flames of division. They are now attacking the police on Armistice Day.
"The Home Secretary's position is untenable. She must resign."
The First Minister reposted Sky News footage of people clashing with police as they waved England flags near the cordoned off Cenotaph in London.
READ MORE: Suella Braverman 'emboldened' far-right says Humza Yousaf
Scuffles broke out as police attempted to stop a crowd of people bearing St George’s flags from reaching the war memorial, but the group pushed through, with some shouting “let’s have them” as officers hit out with batons.
The Met Police posted on X, formerly Twitter: “While the two minutes’ silence was marked respectfully and without incident on Whitehall, officers have faced aggression from counter-protesters who are in the area in significant numbers.”
Further clashes with police happened in Chinatown with counter-protesters chanting: “You’re not English any more” towards officers.
Ms Braverman has come under fire for comments she made in a newspaper article ahead of the pro-Palestine demonstration on Saturday.
There have been calls for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to sack the minister after she described the protests as "hate marches", criticised the Met Police as favouring some groups over others, and compared the demonstrations to marches in Northern Ireland in an unauthorised article in The Times.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper also repeated calls for Ms Braverman to be sacked.
She told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “Suella Braverman decided to launch an unprecedented attack on the impartiality of the police and also to deliberately inflame tensions in the run-up to remembrance weekend.
“No home secretary has ever done that before. Her job is supposed to be to support the police and to work with the police, and also to calm community tensions. She did the opposite, and she did the opposite in a really damaging and irresponsible way.”
Pressed about whether the Home Secretary should resign, Ms Cooper said: “I don’t see how she can continue to do this job, she does not have the credibility or the authority to do the serious job of Home Secretary.”
She added: “I think this is a matter for Rishi Sunak, I think he needs to deal with this.
“I think he appointed her and he needs to do something about it, because otherwise all that he shows is he is weak, he doesn’t care about policing and he doesn’t care about the security of our country.”
Defence secretary Grant Shapps failed to back Ms Braverman’s remaining as Home Secretary.
He said “a week’s a long time in politics” when asked whether his Cabinet colleague will stay in her role until next weekend.
Asked about Ms Braverman’s political future, Mr Shapps told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme: “As you know, and I know well, a week’s a long time in politics. I never make predictions about these things.”
Pressed on calls for her removal, he said: “The make-up of the Cabinet is entirely a matter for the Prime Minister.
“He will decide that in his own time.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s leader in Westminster, described Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as the “collective punishment” of Palestinians.
Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips on Sunday morning, the MP, who is introducing a motion in Parliament next week calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, said: “What we have is the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
“There’s no food, water, medicine or fuel.
“Babies in ICU units are dying because they have no access to oxygen. This is a humanitarian catastrophe and the best way to deal with it is a ceasefire.
“A ceasefire allows us to uphold international law, protect civilians and promote peace.”
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