Police probe vile racist abuse against children after Sturgeon’s visit

RACIST abuse aimed at primary school children following a visit by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is being investigated by police.

Police Scotland said ‘enquiries are being carried out’ after an image of Miss Sturgeon at St Albert’s Primary attracted ‘offensive material’ on a social media site.

Clare Harker, headteacher of the school in Pollokshields, Glasgow, called on the police to take action over hundreds of potential hate crimes.

She said: ‘Ninety-five per cent of our children are from visible minority ethnic groups, and we get mild racism all the time, stuff like people driving past the school and shouting comments at the children across the fence or asking if our school is in India.

‘Our children are being threatened because harm comes in more ways than a punch in the face. One single comment would be a threat in itself, but there are hundreds.’

Mrs Harker said the school will no longer post pictures of students and accused Twitter of failing to protect young people.

She said: ‘Membership of Twitter should not be anonymous, because if you commit a hate crime, which many people do, then you should be accountable for that. Our young people are not being protected.’

Staff are now being offered psychological support from Glasgow City Council.

Christina Cannon, the council’s convener for education, skills and early years, said: ‘There is no place for racism in Scotland and our schools celebrate the amazing diversity of our city every day.’

On Saturday, the First Minister condemned the ‘vile racists’ and said: ‘It’s my privilege to represent the wonderful, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural Southside of Glasgow. I stand with them, always.’

Education Secretary ShirleyAnne Somerville tweeted that such behaviour ‘had no place in society’ and said she had no doubt the pupils ‘will grow up to be citizens we can all be proud of. Doubt you could say the same for those that take part in a pile on towards a primary school’s Twitter feed’.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar tweeted: ‘No place for hate or racism – regardless of who it is from or who it is to.’

Twitter did not respond to requests for a comment.