Community gathers to ‘honour' scientist who died following Dundee attack
Dr Fortune Gomo, 39, died after suffering injuries near her home in the city on the afternoon of Saturday, July 5.
The Scottish Water employee had studied in Scotland and Zimbabwe, and was also a mother.
Members of the community gathered on Sunday at Sandy's Bar, close to where the attack happened, for a fundraising event that included sessions from local musicians, raffles and face painting.
Pub manager Sinead McGuire explained why she and her staff wanted to host the event for Dr Gomo's family.
She said: 'We all live in that area where it happened, and we all obviously work here, so because it was so local to us we wanted to do something to help out and show the kind of community support.
'We never expected it to take off as well as it did.'
Ms McGuire added that the money raised from the event would go 'straight' to Dr Gomo's grieving family.
Local musician Andrew Crawford, who was approached by Ms McGuire to organise music for the event, said the number of people who came forward to get involved had been 'overwhelming'.
'When we started posting it out on social media, the power of social media, people automatically wanted to just find out what was going on,' he said.
' Musicians wanted to donate their time and their skills. People wanted to put donations and money, then raffle prizes. And it grew arms and legs.
'Inside 48 hours, it became quite a substantial event.'
Asked about the reasons for the level of support from the community, Mr Crawford explained that people had been 'shocked' by the news of the attack, and had wanted to show Dundee is 'full of love'.
'One, (the event) shows the community spirit. Two, it shows that we're listening. We're aware of what goes on round about us, what we want to bring and show is that it's safe to be here in Dundee,' he said.
Mr Crawford added: 'People here care about what happens in their community. Without that, we don't have anything.
'And they just want to show for the family that Dundee is a city that cares, that the majority of people in Dundee are full of love.'
He added: 'We'll honour her name and her life today, certainly from this venue and from the people that are here.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
19 minutes ago
- Times
MasterChef's John Torode alleged to have used racist language
MasterChef presenter John Torode is the subject of an allegation that he used racist language which has been upheld by the review into the behaviour of his co-presenter Gregg Wallace. The report, commissioned by MasterChef production company Banijay UK and led by law firm Lewis Silkin, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language. Torode confirmed on his social media that he was one of the people alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. Writing on Instagram, Torode said: 'Following publication of the executive summary of the investigation into Gregg Wallace while working on MasterChef, I am aware of speculation that I am one of the two other individuals against whom an allegation has been upheld. 'For the sake of transparency, I confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion. The allegation is that I did so sometime in 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards. 'I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened. 'However, I want to be clear that I've always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. I'm shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence.' It comes as Greg Wallace has said he 'never set out to harm or humiliate' after a report on the MasterChef presenter's behaviour substantiated 45 complaints against him. The seven-month inquiry by Lewis Silkin spoke to 78 witnesses and used analysis of relevant documentation and unedited programme footage as it examined 83 complaints against the 60-year-old star. More than half were upheld. The investigation was launched after high-profile former Celebrity MasterChef contestants, including Penny Lancaster, Vanessa Feltz and Kirstie Allsopp, spoke out against Wallace last year. At the time, he dismissed them as 'a handful of middle-class women of a certain age'. In a statement on Monday, he said he was 'deeply sorry' for the distress his behaviour caused. Wallace said: 'For eight months, my family and I have lived under a cloud. Trial by media, fuelled by rumour and clickbait. None of the serious allegations against me were upheld. I challenged the remaining issue of unwanted touching but have had to accept a difference in perception, and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused. It was never intended. 'I'm relieved that the Banijay report fully recognises that my behaviour changed profoundly in 2018. Some of my humour and language missed the mark. I never set out to harm or humiliate. I always tried to bring warmth and support to MasterChef, on screen and off.' He added: 'A late autism diagnosis has helped me understand how I communicate and how I'm perceived. I'm still learning. Banijay have given me great support, and I thank them. But in the end, the BBC left me exposed to trial by media and the damage it leaves in its wake.' The vast majority (94 per cent) of the complaints received related to behaviour which occurred between 2005 and 2018, and the bulk related to inappropriate sexually explicit language and humour. Just one incident was substantiated after 2018, the year after Wallace was spoken to about his behaviour by BBC bosses. They have admitted that opportunities were missed to address Wallace's behaviour, who fronted one of its highest-profile television shows for two decades. He is estimated to have come into contact with more than 2,500 people connected to the show. 'We accept more could and should have been done sooner,' said a BBC spokesman. Wallace is said to be unable to wear underwear, an issue attributed to a neurodiversity diagnosis STEVE FINN In 2023, The Times revealed that Wallace had stepped back from presenting the BBC's Inside The Factory documentary after offending staff in a Nestlé factory. Sexually explicit comments accounted for 14 of the substantiated allegations, with a further six involving inappropriate jokes, comments and innuendo. Two involved 'being in a state of undress'. Wallace co-operated with the investigation and was interviewed three times for more than 14 hours. The investigations team found that his neurodiversity diagnosis, which was said to mean he was unable to wear underwear, was 'highly relevant' in the context of the findings made, particularly regarding his use of humour as a 'masking' technique and his difficulty in reading social cues. Investigators said that Wallace was consistently described by staff as 'energetic, humorous, and generally able to put contestants at ease', which they said contributed to the show's success. However, they also ruled that some interactions 'resulted in offence and/or left people feeling uncomfortable'. After he was spoken to, Wallace was found by investigators to have moderated his behaviour by 'seeking guidance from colleagues on his choice of language.' A further two allegations about other people working on MasterChef were also substantiated after investigators received ten allegations not involving Wallace. These are related to two separate individuals and involve swearing and racist language. The production company behind the show was found to have provided little or no formal training or clear escalation procedures to manage complaints prior to 2016. Of the 11 complaints received at the time, six were brought to the attention of the BBC, with Wallace spoken to about his behaviour by the broadcaster in 2017. Patrick Holland, the chief executive of Banijay UK, which commissioned the report, apologised to any individuals who had been affected by Wallace's behaviour. A BBC spokesman said that Wallace had been told that there was no way back to the corporation for him after the report's findings. No decision has yet been made about whether the broadcaster will screen the final series of MasterChef featuring Wallace. It will largely depend on the response to the report from the amateur chefs who appear in the series, which was filmed last year. Aasmah Mir, the former BBC and Times Radio presenter, said that she was 'astonished' to learn that her complaint in 2017 had been the first about the presenter. Wallace's behaviour, she said, was an 'open secret' in the industry. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said: 'The allegations against Gregg Wallace are horrendous and appalling. This case highlights a wider issue and much more must be done to ensure that everyone working in the creative industries is treated with dignity, fairness and respect.'
Daily Record
31 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Bonfire Night yob supplied fireworks to youths who used them to attack police
Jordan McMillan provided the explosive projectiles that were thrown at officers and members of the public during a night of chaos in Edinburgh in November last year. A Bonfire Night yob guilty of supplying fireworks to youths who used them to attack police officers has been warned if he breaches a court order he will be 'going directly to prison'. Jordan McMillan provided the explosive projectiles that were thrown at officers and members of the public during a night of chaos in Edinburgh in November last year. The mass disorder saw hooligans set fire to roads, play parks, wheelie bins and cars across the capital, including Niddrie, Gracemount and Sighthill. Thugs wearing balaclavas were also filmed launching rockets at moving vehicles and the violence brought the city's streets to a standstill as riot cops closed roads to the public. McMillan, 24, was convicted of culpable and reckless conduct following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month and was back in the dock for sentencing yesterday. He denied any involvement, claiming he was in his garden during the incident. The charge was aggravated by attacking emergency service workers under Section 44 of the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022. Sheriff Joseph Stewart told McMillan, of Niddrie, Edinburgh, he had carried out 'a very serious offence' but stopped short of imposing a jail term. Sheriff Stewart said: 'I think the custody threshold is easily met here. This is a very serous offence and with your record, Mr McMillan, I could very easily send you to prison today for a considerable period. If you breach this order, you will be going directly to prison, do you understand that?' McMillan was sentenced to a 10-month restriction of liberty order where he will have to stay within his home address from 7pm to 6am. Following last month's trial, Chief Superintendent David Robertson, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, said: 'This conviction should send a very clear message that the reckless and dangerous behaviour we witnessed across Edinburgh last year will not be tolerated. ' Police officers and other emergency service workers do not come to work to be attacked and the level of violence directed towards them was wholly unacceptable. 'Jordan McMillan did not act in isolation and is only one of several individuals responsible for the offences we saw on Niddrie Mains Road during the evening of November 5, 2024. 'Further positive court outcomes for those involved in disorder during 2024 are anticipated and we are currently working with key partners ahead of Bonfire Night 2025 to protect our communities from this reckless and dangerous behaviour.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
The law change that could transform toxic workplaces
Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were created to stop sensitive commercial information being shared. But the MeToo movement – and the crimes of Harvey Weinstein – shone a light on how the contracts were being used to silence victims of workplace abuse. Zelda Perkins was Harvey Weinstein's PA. When she broke the NDA that stopped her from talking about her terrible experiences with the film mogul she helped galvanise the MeToo movement. Since then she has been campaigning against the use of NDAs, which she says have helped cover up abuse in the workplace and allow powerful people to escape the consequences of their actions. Alexandra Topping tells Nosheen Iqbal how widespread the use of NDAs has become in British workplaces and how a change in the law could help put an end to them being misused. She explains how allowing employees to speak out could help change workplace culture for the better.
