Further protests following the Belfast stabbing would be “ill-advised”, Scottish First Minister John Swinney has said.
He said “under no circumstances” should Scots take to the streets for a second night, after violent clashes in Glasgow on Tuesday.
Two police officers and three people were injured in Scotland’s biggest city, with police saying members of the public had been “attacked because of the colour of their skin”.
Glasgow Central Mosque was forced to lock worshippers inside in response to a protest, which marched down Buchanan Street and is believed to have been aiming to reach the mosque.
Three men, two aged 18 and another aged 31, were arrested and Mr Swinney suggested more arrests could follow.
Tensions flared in response to a knife attack in Belfast on Monday.
Sudanese national Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with the attack, in which the 44-year-old victim, Stephen Ogilvie, is said to have lost an eye.
Speaking to the Press Association on Wednesday, Mr Swinney said: “What I would say to people this evening is that under no circumstances should they take part in protests or in violent disorder within our society.
“There is, of course, a democratic right to protest in our society, but at this particular moment, it is ill-advised because of the circumstances that were perpetrated last night by violent thugs, and that type of behaviour has no place in Scottish society and it will be tackled by Police Scotland, and they have my full support in so doing.”
The First Minister commended the work of the police force, saying it was “effective in maintaining public order”.
He added: “What flows from that is that some people have been arrested and I would expect there to be further arrests that are made by Police Scotland, and individuals will be pursued by the criminal justice system.”
He said he will provide the “political leadership” required to tackle those who “incite hatred and division and now violence on the streets of Scotland”.
Scotland, he said, is “fundamentally a tolerant and welcoming country, an inclusive country”.
Mr Swinney added: “I do blame the Nigel Farages of this world, who stir up racial tension and stir up animosity within our society, when we should be working to bring people together for the common good within Scotland.”
Thomas Kerr, the deputy leader of Reform UK in Scotland, encouraged people to protest, but urged against violence.
He told the BBC: “We have a fantastic tradition in this country of freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
“Go out there and make sure the Government hears your voice, but do not vandalise, do not incite racism and do not show violence.
“Because as soon as you do that, you play into the hands of John Swinney and of Keir Starmer, who do not want to speak about massive, uncontrolled illegal migration.
“They want to turn it on you, so do not play into their hands, go out and protest peacefully, make sure your voice is heard, but do not take to the streets like we seen last night.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told PA that worshippers in Glasgow Central Mosque had to be locked in the building, as marchers appeared to be heading towards it.
Mr Sarwar, who is also a Glasgow MSP, added that many of those marching in the city were clad in balaclavas and black hoodies, saying their behaviour was “intimidating” to passers-by, “particularly those from certain minority backgrounds”.
Saying the group had tried to “march towards the mosque, which was nearby in the city centre”, he insisted: “That is not the right response to this disorder and actually it is not Glasgow.
“It is not the best of humanity, I think in many ways that demonstrates the worst of humanity.”
He stressed members of the public in the city would have had “nothing to do with the attacker in Belfast” and would be “equally horrified by the attack”.
Mr Sarwar continued: “The people inside that mosque who had to be locked in with the doors locked and the gates locked surrounded by police, what did they have to do with the attacker in Belfast?
“They would be equally horrified by the knife attack there, they too will want justice to prevail.”
Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer described the marchers in Glasgow as “scumbags”.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme, the Green MSP said: “From what I heard from people in Glasgow yesterday, you had grown men walking down Buchanan Street screaming at anyone who wasn’t white, including children who were not white, screaming at them, ‘send them home’.
“So, scumbag would be the word that I would use to describe them as well.”
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: “Our priority is public safety and last night we had a conventional police response to demonstrations across the country.
“We understand the concerns people have about their communities and will always balance the right to freedom of expression with the need to tackle crime without fear or favour.
“Officers responded to disorder and violence, including incidents in Glasgow where members of the public were attacked because of the colour of their skin. Officers were also attacked.
“I would strongly condemn that offending and send a clear message that there is no place for racism and violence in Scotland.”
Police Scotland have an “appropriate policing plan in place” to deal with “any escalation in disorder”, Mr Waddell added.
Other “disruptive but peaceful demonstrations” sprung up in Edinburgh, Falkirk, Perth, Ayr, and Paisley, with no arrests being made.
