Scotland's Wear Red Day and SPFL Fortnight of Action kick off in nationwide stance against racism

Nicola Sturgeon announced Wear Red Day last month.

Tens of thousands of people across Scotland are taking part in a nationwide stance against racism and discrimination today.

Wear Red Day, announced by the First Minister last month and organised by charity, Show Racism the Red Card, sees thousands across schools, workplaces and football clubs wearing the same colour together for one day to unite against racism and discrimination.

Celebrities, politicians and NHS workers are participating, including staff at NHS Fife, NHS Lothian, BBC Scotland presenters, Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf MSP as well as staff on Stena Line’s Belfast to Cairnryan crossing.

Text Red to 70470 to donate £1 ?

Help us continue to educate our young people. #WRD19?

Let’s send a message across #Scotland that there is no place for racism or discrimination in our society. pic.twitter.com/G061YySy7L

— ShowRacismtheRedCard | Scotland (@SRtRCScotland) October 4, 2019

Around 30 of Scotland’s iconic buildings are also set to light up red tonight from the SEC Hydro in Glasgow and the Edinburgh Exhibition Centre, to St. Magnus Cathedral in the Orkney Islands, the UK’s most northerly Cathedral.

The SPFL have backed the campaign and are holding the Fortnight of Action this weekend, which will see all of Scotland’s professional footballers display the Show Racism the Red Card message before their kick-offs this weekend.

The event’s aim is to raise awareness and fundraise for more vital anti-racism education for Scotland’s young people.

?@ScotlandNT ⚽#ShowRacismtheRedCard pic.twitter.com/XnPOmkACTu

— ShowRacismtheRedCard | Scotland (@SRtRCScotland) October 1, 2019

“It’s essential that we educate our young children in understanding how racism affects us all. More needs to be done.” said ex-Rangers player, Mark Walters.

“With funding a severe issue for many charities, our small team managed to visit just under 4,000 young people throughout Scotland last year.

“We found that 34% had experienced or witnessed racism. This is a chance for thousands of young people to get involved with the campaign, with Scottish football, businesses and thousands more standing united with them against racism and all forms of discrimination, at a time when it is needed more than ever,” said Jordan Allison (Campaign Manager, Show Racism the Red Card Scotland).

Research released just this week by Edinburgh University shows that one third of Scotland’s BAME people have experienced racial discrimination in the past 2 years.

Anas Sarwar MSP has called for “every Scot to look at this data and recognise that the fight against discrimination is a fight for all of us.”

"Today is Wear Red Day. Let’s send a message across #Scotland that there is no place for racism, hate and prejudice in our society."
– @AnasSarwar MSP, Glasgow ?

Text Red to 70470 to donate £1 #WRD19?@LabourRichard @labour @GMBScotOrg @UniteScotland @unisonscot @NASUWT pic.twitter.com/qJxI5b38l3

— ShowRacismtheRedCard | Scotland (@SRtRCScotland) October 4, 2019

He continued: “Scotland is not immune from hatred and prejudice, and this research shows how much work we still have to do.

“Let’s send a message to people across Scotland that there is no place for racism, hatred and prejudice in our society.”

The charity’s education team are with Police Scotland at Glasgow Green Football Centre to deliver anti-racism workshops to two local primary schools.

Following this, former stars and football personalities including Partick Thistle’s Gerry Britton, Peter Martin, Jose Quitongo and Gordon Smith will join others in a Fortnight of Action launch match against anti-discrimination amateur side, United Glasgow.

A text donation service is in place today for the charity. Text Red to 70470 to donate £1.

Donations help to directly fund more anti-racism education work throughout Scotland.