Police probe racist hate crime on Kenmure Street in Pollokshields

The incident took place on Kenmure Street in Pollokshields just before 7.30pm on Thursday, July 2, when a man is said to have chased a group of young Muslim boys and shouted racist abuse at them, including “go back to your own country” and “you don’t belong here.”

In the video, recorded soon after the incident, Tabassum says: “A white Scottish man started chasing the boys on their bikes, hurling abuse, swearing at them and then the young girls followed on by trying to get into the Bowling Green and swearing at the bajis (sisters). They shouted 'go back to your own country, you don't belong here'.

“This is our neighbourhood, this is where we live. Pollokshields is our home. We're not going to have anyone tell us to go back to our own country. This is our country.

“What I need for people to do is really take this seriously.”

She has since helped set up a Pollokshields Watch group, adding: “We're not being vigilantes here. We're not doing the police's work for them. But what we are going to do is protect our neighbours.

@tabsmile1 Pollokshields has always felt safe, this sickness called racism is spreading everywhere. We cannot allow this to become the norm. #community #glasgow #racism #protect @OBSERVER📍📸🇵🇰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ♬ original sound - Tabassum Niamat

“We're going to make sure that no child is being unnecessarily harassed and no elderly lady or man is going to be threatened. Please be careful... look after those who are vulnerable in your communities. This is just not on.

“It's unprecedented, this level of hatred towards minorities and Muslims. It just sickens me to my stomach.

Police Scotland said the incident is being treated as a hate crime and that enquiries are ongoing.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7.25pm on Thursday, 2 July, 2026, we received a report of a man causing a disturbance in the Kenmure Street area of Glasgow.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”