A FAR-RIGHT group's promotional video filmed at the summit of Ben Nevis has been slammed as "reprehensible".
Patriotic Alternative (PA), who want all non-white people removed from the UK, scaled Scotland’s highest peak last Sunday (August 1) to unfurl a banner which read “White Lives Matter”.
The stunt, which has been highly criticised, was part of the group’s preparations for what they call ‘Indigenous People’s Day’, an event which is due to take place on Monday (August 9).
Members are encouraged to plaster stickers, posters and other propaganda with the White Lives Matter phrase emblazoned on it in public spaces across the UK.
READ MORE: Witnesses 'horrified' by Patriotic Alternative banner at mountain summit
Around 20 of the group, which appear to be all men, were filmed as they made the climb in a chilling video, The National can exclusively reveal.
The footage is available on a popular streaming site, but The National will not share the two-minute long clip, which is believed to be part of a recruitment drive.
A Ferret investigation earlier this year outed members of PA as neo-Nazis, former members of the BNP and Scottish Defence League (SDL).
We can reveal that only one member of the group was happy to be filmed without his face being blurred, while others wore masks and balaclavas to keep their identities hidden.
PA blurred member's identities throughout the Ben Nevis footage
The man, who does not give a name in the clip, claims the group are “showing the best of Scotland” in one part of the footage.
In another, before the banner is unfurled, the man says the group are “putting PA Scotland at the very top of the nation just as we want our people to be”.
READ MORE: Ben Nevis caretakers John Muir Trust condemns 'abhorrent' far-right banner stunt
The group are then filmed eating lunch and chatting away, before making their way to the summit and unfurling the banner which caused outrage last week after our exclusive.
Two men are filmed posing in Patriotic Alternative t-shirts, but with saltire bandanas covering their faces, and their eyes blurred.
At the end of the clip, the group issue a chilling call-out asking for people to “play your part”.
The video was set to light-hearted music as the members made the climb
The clip had only 516 views at time of publication, but comments underneath called the stunt “excellent” and “absolutely amazing”.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford called the stunt “reprehensible” and said that the group had to be called out.
READ MORE: Muslim Hikers in open Ben Nevis invite after far-right stunt
Blackford told The National: “I mean obviously the whole thing is just shocking and I think the most important message is that these people, with this message, are not welcome here.
“Scotland is a place which is open to everyone regardless of their colour, creed, their sexuality, it's a modern liberal democracy, that’s what we’re building, and those with the views that are explained in this video are simply reprehensible, they have to be called out.
The group are believed to have used a drone to collect the footage
“They do not represent modern Scotland or the destination we’re seeking to deliver this country which is based on equality.”
Asked what he believes we need to do to stop these groups from operating in Scotland, Blackford said: “At the end of the day, what we need to make sure we do is to make sure people are protected from those that come with a hateful, right-wing agenda and where appropriate the full force of the law has got to be used against those who are seeking to restrict the freedom of others.”
We previously told how a witness to the stunt said that the group were booed by shocked climbers and only had the banner unfurled for a few minutes before quickly packing it away.
But, from the footage seen by The National, PA are telling a different story, and set the clip to a light-hearted folk-style tune.
READ MORE: Former members of BNP among recruits for group who want all non-whites out of UK
None of the members voices can be heard, except for the one person fronting the video who occasionally speaks into the camera.
A witness to the horrifying moment, who asked not to be named, told the National that it was unexpected and “insane”.
They said: “There were two guys from England who saw me pointing, thought I was pointing at them and then when they turned round and saw the banner, they were so disgusted that they started booing.
The video has a chilling call-out at the end of the footage
“I was in complete shock. They only unfurled it for a minute or two before they put it away.”
The charity who looks after Ben Nevis were among those who condemned the unveiling of the “abhorrent” banner.
In a strongly worded statement the John Muir Trust conservation charity said they did not give permission for the stunt, and never will.
READ MORE: We cannot let racist cowards poison our great outdoors
In an official statement, the charity said: "We are deeply angered by the actions taken at the top of Ben Nevis over the weekend from an extremist far right group appearing to use the Ben as a backdrop for their abhorrent racist propaganda.
"The John Muir Trust promotes diversity and inclusion in the outdoors. We did not and would not authorise permission for a film on our land that is counter to our belief that wild places are for all.
"The John Muir Trust has zero tolerance to discrimination, and any actions that promote discriminatory views are not welcome on the land we manage."
Patriotic Alternative did not respond to The National's requests for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel