Delivery driver 'afraid to work' after protesters' racist traffic-cone attack

A delivery driver has told the BBC he is too afraid to leave his home or return to work after anti-immigration protesters shouted racist abuse and hurled a traffic cone at him during a large-scale demonstration.

Muhammad Jawad Yaqoob had just picked up an order from the Palm Tree Kitchen on Bridge Street in Glasgow on Saturday afternoon when dozens of demonstrators passed by chanting "get them out".

A video of the attack on the 31-year-old has been circulating on social media - it shows a number of young men shouting the abuse before one throws the orange cone. They cheer as Yaquoob runs away from them into a nearby restaurant.

Police Scotland said it was investigating the incident.

Officers have made 15 arrests for other instances of disorder on Saturday where individuals - many of whom were masked - rampaged through the city and targeted people for the colour of their skin.

The force has warned people who took part in violence that they will be brought to justice.

Yaqoob, who moved to Glasgow from Pakistan, told the BBC he has mostly found Scotland to be a welcoming place - but that his experience at the weekend had "not been welcoming at all".

He added: "When I crossed the road away from the crowd a man shouted, 'you brownie, you Asian, you Pakistani' and other racial abuse at me.

"One guy then tried to hit me with a traffic cone. So I ran around the back of the shop then Uber sent me a message asking me to complete my delivery.

"Uber didn't know what had happened to me so I completed my delivery then returned to the shop and said I was going to report it to the police and asked for the CCTV footage."

Yaqoob said the restaurant did not have CCTV but he reported the incident anyway.

He said when he arrived home and went online he discovered the video of the incident had spread on social media, as far as his home country.

"Now I am so scared, I am upset," he said.

"I haven't been able to go back to my work since the incident. I am fearful it will happen again but I have bills to pay so I can't just sit at home.

"I'm very scared about returning to work. People hate me because of who I am and now everybody knows I am a delivery driver from the video.

"I feel a lot of anxiety. Police have not protected me and there has been no further action."

Until the weekend, Yaqoob said he had always found Glaswegians to be friendly.

"Everybody gives me tips on my deliveries and says hello, greeting me with smiley faces," he said.

"But after this incident I feel scared, I don't feel like I know this version of Glasgow."

A peaceful anti-racism protest had taken place on Glasgow Green on Saturday morning before counter protesters turned up at the scene.

Police said "disparate groups" engaged in acts of violence, disorder, intimidation and hate-motivated offences at various locations - all coinciding with the opening weekend of the Commonwealth Games.

The force said 1,700 people were in attendance and an operation was put in place to support public safety and minimise disruption.

Labour MP for Glasgow South West, Dr Zubir Ahmed praised the swift response from police and said he has requested an urgent meeting with Justice Secretary Neil Gray to discuss strengthening community safety.

He said: "How did we get here? How have we reached a point where people in one of the most diverse communities in Scotland now think twice about stepping outside?

"We've been sold a story about ourselves: that racism here in Scotland isn't really as bad, and that communities don't feel the strain when they change.

"The Scottish government has let a sense of moral superiority stand in for a genuine community safety and cohesion strategy.

"We fix nothing by fooling ourselves that we're better than others."

Gray condemned actions seen over the weekend and also praised police for their response.

He said: "Make no mistake, it is people intent on disorder and violence that are to blame for the unacceptable scenes in Glasgow over the weekend.

"It was totally unacceptable and we stand against such behaviour, as we do those seeking to intimidate and divide our communities."

Gray said the Scottish government was investing £1.7bn for policing this year and that police had all the resources they needed to respond to the incident and other major events.

"I commend Police Scotland's actions to maintain order and people will be brought to justice," he added.