THIS is the shocking moment a Scottish Labour councillor is filmed revving his car at protestors and attempting to grab a member of the public’s phone.
The incident unfolded as Councillor Pat Patton was out on the campaign trail in support for Labour candidate Frank McNally in his constituency of Coatbridge and Bellshill, North Lanarkshire yesterday.
Patton came to blows with a group of protestors angrily campaigning against school bus cuts who blocked his path as he attempted to drive away.
Revving his engine and inching forward in an attempt to deter them, Patton was then filmed stepping out of his car and shockingly trying to swipe one of the protestors’ phones.
Video footage of the incident shows Patton behind the wheel of a silver Hyundai trying to drive through the group of protestors blocking the road.
The group of children and parents shout, “Shame on you”, over and over at the councillor and block the road, with many brandishing placards and banners.
The man recording the footage walks around to the front of Councillor Patton’s car and stands staunchly in front of it, preventing him from driving further.
Patton revs his engine and his car shoots forwards towards the man recording the incident while children watch on in horror.
It looks as if the councillor is about to run the protestor over before the car comes to a stop just inches away from the man recording.
Furious at the councillor, the man shouts, “Don’t you dare, don’t you dare”, As Patton gestures through his window and attempts to drive past the man.
The man recording continues: “He has no right to run me over, he revved his car straight at me.”
A furious Patton then opens his driver’s side door and climbs out of his vehicle, storming over to the man recording and demanding that he: “Put the phone away.”
The protestor denies his request and Patton, seemingly infuriated, then makes a grab at the device, trying to snatch it from the protestor’s hand.
He claims, “You have no right to record me”, with the protestor responding: “Yes I do.”
The two men then argue back and forth in the road before Patton retreats to his car whilst wagging his finger at the man filming him.
Recording Labour candidate Frank McNally’s car now, which follows close behind Patton’s, the protestor exclaims: “Shame on you Frank McNally.”
The protestor then films through the Patton’s passenger side window and exclaims: “I’m reporting you to the police by the way.”
Patton responds, “That’s two of us then”, with the protestor ignoring his response and recording the car’s number plate before returning to the window.
The man recording says: “You just drove your car right at me.”
The video footage was shared to social media yesterday with the caption: “North Lanarkshire Labour Councillor Pat Patton allegedly drove his car into a protesting parent before trying to seize his phone.
“This incident occurred while Patton was campaigning for Labour’s MP candidate for Bellshill and Coatbridge, Frank McNally.”
The shocking footage has received over 480 likes and more than 100 comments from infuriated social media users.
One user said: “Police matter – get the blue tents outside his garden.”
Another added: “Another Labour tool.”
A third commented: “Last time I looked, driving a car into a protester was illegal, are we going to see some action?”
Another wrote: “He seems nice and stable.”
A fifth replied: “Wow. He is pretty scary. Who on Earth would vote for him.”
Police have since confirmed there have been no reports of the incident.
