Desecrated
Backlash as vandals spray ‘SNP’ on Shetland war memorial days before hotly contested by-election
A WAR memorial on Shetland has been vandalised with proNationalist graffiti ahead of next week’s by-election.
Vandals sprayed the letters ‘SNP’ on the monument, near Lerwick Town Hall, early yesterday morning.
Veterans condemned the ‘disrespectful’ attack, which was also criticised by the Nationalist candidate in the election to succeed Tavish Scott as MSP.
Chief Inspector Lindsay Tulloch of Police Scotland said: ‘Vandalism is never acceptable in any circumstances and damaging a war memorial is a particularly disrespectful act.
‘This has caused considerable upset in the local community and I have spoken with the local authority and asked that the memorial is cleaned as promptly as possible. Our inquiries are ongoing and at an early stage. We would urge anyone who may have seen anything suspicious overnight in the area or has any other information which could help to come forward.’
The monument was defaced hours after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had made her third visit to Shetland to campaign for SNP candidate Tom Wills.
The party is working hard to overturn Mr Scott’s majority. At the 2016 elections for the Scottish parliament he won 4,895 more votes than second-place Danus Skene of the SNP.
The former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader had been MSP for the constituency since the creation of Holyrood in 1999.
Mr Scott has quit to take up a job at Scottish Rugby.
Yesterday, Shetland resident John Taylor, who served in the Army for 23 years and is honorary colonel of the local cadets, said the graffiti attack had left him ‘absolutely disgusted’.
Mr Taylor, who coordinated a festival of remembrance in the town last year to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, added: ‘I think it’s just a childish, stupid thing to do.
‘It shows great disrespect to those who have gone before and given service. It’s like desecrating gravestones in a church yard.’
The graffiti was written on a large block at the side of the memorial, which sits opposite Lerwick Town Hall – only a stone’s throw from the police station.
The paint was removed yesterday morning by volunteers Laurie Pottinger and Kaylee Stevenson, who said: ‘There is no need for this type of vandalism – whatever your political persuasions might be.’
Mr Wills said: ‘I am appalled, outraged and hurt by this heartless attack on our memorial honouring those who died protecting all our freedoms.
‘Needless to say this attack has absolutely nothing to do with my campaign or the SNP. Whoever is responsible should be ashamed and subject to the full consequences of the law.’
He added: ‘I strongly urge anyone with information to contact the police so we can find out who is responsible for this mindless act of vandalism. Local volunteers are on site just now to see how best to remove the graffiti.’
Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate Beatrice Wishart said: ‘I’m absolutely appalled.
‘There is no excuse for this. We all know that emotions run high during an election but vandalism of this sort has no place in our community.’
She added: ‘This is not how politics is done in Shetland.’