A volunteer group called North2South has been conducting organized patrols in Glasgow, claiming to protect women and girls who do not feel safe. According to The National Scotland, North2South is a social media page that claims to patrol Glasgow at weekends. The group's activities have drawn attention after Malcolm Offord, a former Conservative member of the House of Lords and Reform UK candidate, participated in one of their patrols. Offord has publicly defended the group, stating, 'They are not a vigilante group. They are street patrollers. They are out there, they’ve got first aid.' He added, 'I was with them and they were a number of people in a state of inebriation or whatever it might be as you find in Glasgow and they are helping them, they are calling ambulances for them. They are actually on the streets helping the community.' Videos posted by North2South on YouTube, as reported by Herald Scotland, show men and women walking through Glasgow wearing high-visibility jackets, with some wearing balaclavas. The specific activities North2South engages in during patrols remain unclear, as does the legal basis or authority for their operations.
Malcolm Offord has made several assertions about North2South's relationship with law enforcement. He claimed that North2South is acting 'in cooperation' with the police and said North2South is acting with police permission. Offord emphasized, 'They are not vigilante groups. They’re not armed. They are not. They are a bunch of volunteers, wearing hi-vis jackets saying North2South on the back, with police permission.' He also stated that North2South volunteers are not armed and described the group as having no agenda other than to keep people safe. Offord linked the group's formation to broader issues, saying, 'They started off because there was a feeling that women and girls didn’t feel safe. It’s not for me to judge that.' He further commented on police resources, noting, 'The police themselves say they are underfunded, overstretched,' and asked, 'Do you really see a lot of police presence in your local towns and cities?' In his view, 'Our cities and towns need a bigger police presence but in the absence of that, you’ve got some concerned parents doing something that they think is of value to their community.' Offord concluded, 'I actually think it’s a great shame that we have this in our society. We don’t want this in our s' – indicating a regret that such groups are necessary.
Keeping people in our local communities safe is our priority and officers will always respond appropriately to any crimes reported.
However, Police Scotland has firmly rejected any association with North2South. In official statements, Police Scotland does not endorse, condone, or encourage any group's activity. A Police Scotland spokesperson stated, 'We do not endorse, condone or encourage any group's activity. We do not work with them or their members, nor advise them how to carry out their activities.' The force explicitly said that Police Scotland does not work with North2South or its members. This directly contradicts Offord's claims of cooperation and permission. Police Scotland also emphasized its commitment to public safety, with a spokesperson saying, 'Keeping people in our local communities safe is our priority and officers will always respond appropriately to any crimes reported.' The contradiction highlights a significant dispute over the group's legitimacy and operational framework. How the public and local community perceive North2South's activities is not detailed in the available information, nor is it known if the group has been involved in any incidents or conflicts during patrols.
The origins and structure of North2South add context to the controversy. According to The National Scotland, the North2South Night Patrol Facebook page was originally set up in 2023 as a clothing brand. It was rebranded as North2South Night Patrol on February 6. The group claims to be protecting women and girls, as reported by The National Scotland, and Malcolm Offord said North2South started because women and girls did not feel safe. The number of members North2South has, and their backgrounds, are not specified in the claims. Malcolm Offord denied that North2South is a vigilante group, reinforcing his portrayal of them as community helpers. He stated, 'They are on the streets to help to make sure there’s an element of safety and security, particularly for women and girls,' and asserted, 'They don’t have an agenda other than to keep people safe.'
We do not endorse, condone or encourage any group's activity. We do not work with them or their members, nor advise them how to carry out their activities.
This situation involves key entities with varying levels of public recognition. Police Scotland, as the primary law enforcement agency in Scotland, has a substantial media presence with 565 articles, underscoring its authoritative role in this dispute. Reform UK, a political organization with 546 articles, is connected through Malcolm Offord, who is a candidate for the party. Malcolm Offord himself has been featured in 15 articles, indicating some public profile. North2South, as an organization, has only 5 articles, suggesting it is a relatively new or lesser-known group. Other related entities like Homeless Project Scotland and Reform UK Scotland have minimal coverage with 3 and 2 articles respectively, but they are not central to the current claims.
The timeline of events begins with the establishment of North2South's online presence in 2023 as a clothing brand, followed by its rebranding to a patrol group in February 2024. Patrols have since been conducted, with videos emerging on YouTube showing members in high-visibility gear. Malcolm Offord's involvement, including his patrol participation and subsequent statements, brought the group into the spotlight. Police Scotland's responses, likely issued after media inquiries, form the counter-narrative. The core contradiction – between Offord's assertion of police cooperation and Police Scotland's denial – remains unresolved, reflecting broader tensions around community safety, police resources, and the role of volunteer groups. The lack of detailed information on North2South's activities and membership complicates public assessment of their impact. Ultimately, Police Scotland maintains its stance of non-involvement, while Offord continues to advocate for the group's community value.