Anti-racism protesters are gathering across Scotland, with demonstrations planned in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Dumfries.

It comes in response to violence across England and Northern Ireland fuelled by far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.

The unrest began following the fatal stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in Merseyside in the north of England. Misinformation online claimed an asylum seeker was responsible for the girls’ murder.

Police said there was “no intelligence” to suggest there might be similar rioting in Scotland.

On Saturday morning, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Many protesters were joined by their children and dogs.

There were chants of “refugees are welcome here”.

Hundreds of demonstrators also gathered in Glasgow’s George Square, where there was a large police presence.

Officers separated two counter protesters from the anti-racism demonstration.

One man with a sign reading “asylum frauds out” and another with a megaphone were approached by a group of anti-racism protesters who shouted “nasty scum off our streets” at them.

A short time later, the pair were escorted off the square by a large group of police officers.

On the Planestanes in Dumfries, about 200 people turned up, some with placards showing messages of unity.

One read: “We are one people.”

They listened to a series of speeches, with one speaker telling the crowd: “This is not what we are in Dumfries.”

A demonstration is also planned for this afternoon at City Square in Dundee.

On Friday evening, about 150 people joined a Stand Up to Racism demonstration in Paisley and about 100 people gathered at a similar event in Bathgate, West Lothian.

The events were organised in response to rumours on social media that anti-immigration protests were being planned in the towns.

However, there was no sign of far right protests.

First Minister John Swinney said on Friday that “adequate preparations” were in place to deal with any flare-ups should they happen and Police Scotland had the resources to deal with any potential disorder.

The force is expected to send 120 officers to Northern Ireland next week to support the police service there, which has been dealing with a number of incidents of disorder.

Mr Swinney has also written to social media companies Meta, TikTok and X calling for “immediate” action to tackle misinformation and hateful material which has fuelled violent scenes across parts of the UK.