A charity representing refugees in Scotland has urged people to show a ‘united and dignified response in sorrow’ to the Glasgow knife attack.

The incident at the Park Inn Hotel on Friday took place yards from the offices of the Scottish Refugee Council, and the organisation said it was ‘devastated’ by the stabbings.

Six people were injured, including three asylum seekers who were staying at the hotel and a Police Scotland constable. The attacker was shot and killed by an armed police unit.

The Park Inn was being used as temporary accommodation to house asylum seekers, a policy which has been criticised by campaigners troubled by their living conditions.

The Scottish Refugee Council said it had expressed ‘repeated concern’ about the housing of asylum seekers in hotels, saying the policy should be brought to an end quickly.

Chief executive Sabir Zazai said: ‘We are completely devastated by what happened at the Park Inn.

‘It is difficult to process that this has happened in Glasgow, yards from our office, in our city which has done so much to welcome newcomers over the years.

‘We are devastated for everyone affected by this – hotel guests, staff, contractors and the police and emergency services.’

The charity will be keeping its helpline for asylum seekers open over the weekend, he said, as many would have fled ‘traumatic experiences’ in their home countries.

He said: ‘We know too that all of us in Scotland, and Glasgow in particular, will be affected in different ways by this.

‘We call for a united and dignified response in sorrow at this horrific event, and a commitment to continue our joint work to build a society where everyone is included, supported and valued.

‘We have expressed repeated concern over the last three months about the use of hotel accommodation for people in the asylum system.

‘These are people who have lost their homes and livelihoods and are desperate for a new start, but who otherwise are no different from the rest of us in Glasgow.

‘It has always been our belief that people who are in Scotland seeking refugee protection require and deserve safe, secure accommodation – a home – from which to rebuild their lives. Temporary accommodation can never fulfil this.

‘Until more facts are confirmed about what happened yesterday we will not be able to comment further on the issue of hotel accommodation.

‘But we stand ready as always to work in partnership with all relevant parties to support people and seek a swift end to the use of temporary accommodation in Glasgow.’

The attack took place at about 12.50pm on Friday afternoon, with several witnesses describing how they saw blood ‘everywhere’ and people ‘screaming for help’.

The police officer injured has been named as 42-year-old constable David Whyte. The other victims have yet to be named, but police said they are all males aged 17, 18, 20, 38 and 53. The incident is not being treated as terror related.

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