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SNP minister accused of ‘throwing petrol onto the fire’ after publicising attempt to disrupt women’s rally

Trans rights demonstrators at a rally in Glasgow in January - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Trans rights demonstrators at a rally in Glasgow in January - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

An SNP minister has been accused of “reckless” behaviour after she publicised an attempt to disrupt a women’s rally which has already been threatened with violence by transgender rights activists.

Christina McKelvie, who is in a relationship with the SNP Justice Secretary Keith Brown, shared details of a “counter-protest” against an event in Glasgow on Sunday, which is being held by the gender critical Let Women Speak group.

The information spread by the equalities minister on her Twitter page denounced the feminist event as “transphobic” and warned it would include “hate speech”.

It suggested those attending a counter-protest wear face masks to keep their identities secret and linked past Let Women Speak events to white supremacy and endorsement of Hitler.

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While the information claimed that the counter-protest would include “karaoke cabaret”, dancing and singing, police fear there could be violent clashes amid rising tensions over trans rights in Scotland.

The author JK Rowling has previously highlighted a suggestion that a car be driven into crowds at the Let Women Speak event leading to gender critical women “exploding like bin bags full of baked beans”.

Christina McKelvie shared details of a ‘counter-protest’ against the Let Women Speak event in Glasgow on Sunday - James Chapelard/PA
Christina McKelvie shared details of a ‘counter-protest’ against the Let Women Speak event in Glasgow on Sunday - James Chapelard/PA

Ms McKelvie’s partner, Mr Brown, is at the centre of the row over the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) sending Isla Bryson, the double-rapist, to a women’s jail. The 31-year-old was removed and sent to a men’s facility amid a public outcry.

She retweeted the information from counter-protest organisers to her 27,500 followers, and is an outspoken supporter of Nicola Sturgeon’s blocked attempt to allow Scots to legally change their own sex by signing a declaration.

The Let Women Speak group is run by Kellie-Jay Keen, also known as Posie Parker, an outspoken opponent of gender ideology and a hate figure for many who strongly oppose her views.

“We’re shocked and dismayed to see the equalities minister appear to sanction this attempt to silence women,” Marion Calder, a director with the group For Women Scotland, said.

“This is reckless and throwing petrol onto the fire of an already heated situation.”

Tensions have escalated after the case of Isla Bryson, a double-rapist, who was initially sent to Cornton Vale women’s jail - Police Scotland/Reuters
Tensions have escalated after the case of Isla Bryson, a double-rapist, who was initially sent to Cornton Vale women’s jail - Police Scotland/Reuters

SNP attempts to reform gender laws in Scotland have been blocked by the UK Government. At a protest against the veto last month, nationalist politicians were pictured alongside signs that called for gender critical women to be decapitated and eaten.

Tensions have escalated further after the case of Bryson, who was initially sent to Cornton Vale women’s jail, only to later be moved to a men’s prison following public fury.

Mr Brown initially claimed that he trusted the SPS to decide where to house trans prisoners, only for the government to step in days later to temporarily ban biological male inmates with a violent history towards women from being moved to women’s jails.

The U-turn came after it emerged that another violent attacker now identifying as a woman, Tiffany Scott previously known as Andrew Burns, had been approved for transfer to a women’s jail.

The Scottish Conservatives yesterday urged Mr Brown to reveal all instances in which ministers had intervened in where prisoners are placed, after he admitted at Holyrood that their approval is sometimes sought.

Russell Findlay, the party’s community safety spokesman, said: “The public want, and have a right, to know who calls the shots – prison governors or ministers.

“We need to know who is accountable for absurd decisions like sending Bryson to Cornton Vale.”

Asked about Ms McKelvie’s retweet of the counter-protest events, the Scottish Government declined to comment.