Perth minister’s disgust after vandals carve swastika into tree

A minister has spoken of his outrage after discovering a freshly carved swastika on a tree at a local beauty spot.

The Rev Scott Burton, from Perth, was walking his dog, Fletcher, in woods alongside the Tay close to Scone Palace when he saw the vandalism.

Carved alongside the swastika is the number 1488, a figure associated with white supremacists.

Mr Burton, minister at St Matthew’s Church in Perth, said: “To say I was furious to discover hate symbols carved into a tree in the most beautiful, peaceful place is an understatement.

“Such a local sighting in these days when we are all aware of recent events in Charlottesville is really quite concerning.

“It begs the question, is white supremacism alive and well in our own neighbourhood here, as well as elsewhere around the globe?

“Who knows if this is an isolated act of vandalism from one individual or something more organised in a larger group.

“But whatever it is, our collective response as a Christian community surely must be to stand out in complete opposition to any notion that one race is superior to another within the one, God-breathed, family of humanity.”

Mr Burton urged people to support one another in speaking out against anything that smacks of racism, xenophobia or intolerance for others based simply on ethnicity, skin colour or country of origin. “Our words matter and our actions matter,” he added. “Particularly those of us with white faces must be seen to speak of love, inclusion, acceptance and respect for others who may be the same as, or may be different from, who we happen to be.”