The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Self-isolating Fife Traveller’s caravan hit
A Fife Traveller who has been self-isolating at a friend’s house as a precaution against coronavirus was shocked to discover his caravan had been broken into, ransacked and daubed with Nazi graffiti.
James O’connor has had a caravan at Auchtermuchty Common, to the north of the town, for 20 years and grazes horses there.
On Friday when he went to the Common to feed his animals, he discovered a window had been forced open, his belongings trashed and his walls and cupboards had been daubed with slogans such as ‘Sieg Heil’, ‘Heil Hitler’ and swastikas.
Now the 72-year-old, who says he has been persecuted in the past because of his traditional heritage, hopes the community will help him identify whoever was responsible.
He said: “Someone appears to have broken in on Wednesday or Thursday night and done the graffiti. It’s Nazi stuff. I think it’s kids, teenagers. Kids in Muchty use the Common as a drinking den.
“But it’s the Nazi stuff. They might not understand what that really means to Travelling people – the numbers who were murdered in the war.”
Bristol-born Mr O’connor, whose Irish-scots-english Traveller heritage goes back generations, is no stranger to vandalism. In 2010 thugs ransacked his caravan and set fire to his prized possessions.
In November 2014 he said someone maliciously phoned the Scottish SPCA claiming his horses had been abandoned.
In December 2014 and again in January 2015, he said electric fencing that contained his three horses at the Common was cut.
Mr O’connor said he believes right-wing rhetoric from some in the Westminster government in recent years may have incited a resurgence of intolerance.
Anyone with information about the latest break-in should contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.