Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Racist graffiti is slammed by FM
HUMZA Yousaf has condemned racist graffiti which was targeted at him on a wall near his Broughty Ferry home.
The first minister said efforts to shield his children from antiMuslim abuse were made more difficult when it appears so close to where they live.
Police were alerted to vandalism on walls and fences in Hamilton Street on Monday.
Offensive comments – which were branded “sickening” – included two P-word slurs.
The graffiti has since been removed by Dundee City Council.
On social media, Mr Yousaf said: “I do my best to shield my children from the racism and Islamophobia I face on a regular basis.
“That becomes increasingly difficult when racist graffiti targeting me appears near our family home.
“A reminder of why we must, collectively, take a zero-tolerance approach to hatred.”
The SNP leader, who is of Scottish-Pakistani heritage, has regularly spoken of the horrendous racist abuse he faces.
Broughty Ferry residents voiced their disgust on Monday. One told us: “We reported it to the council as soon as we saw it this morning.
“It’s absolutely shocking.
“You don’t expect to see things like this painted on the wall.”
The graffiti was scrawled on the same day Scotland’s controversial new hate crime laws – backed by Mr Yousaf – came into force.
Another resident said: “It’s awful what’s been plastered on the walls but I don’t think the timing is a coincidence.
“Whoever has done this is clearly targeting Humza and one of the walls mentioned something about the new law.”
A police spokesperson said: “We received a report of offensive graffiti on Hamilton Road in Broughty Ferry at around 1.30pm on Monday.
“Inquiries are ongoing.”
An SNP spokesperson said: “This graffiti was sickening and completely unacceptable, it is a reminder why we need to take a zero-tolerance approach to hatred.
“Racism has absolutely no place in our society and everyone must play their part to challenge it.”