Cruel vandal smashes poverty charity's van in targeted 'hammer' attack
A cruel vandal carried out a hammer attack on a lifeline van owned by a poverty and homelessness charity in Glasgow.
The Halliday Foundation chief Chris Halliday was in a meeting with a housing association when the incident took place on Duke Street, in the city's Dennistoun area, at around 4.15pm on Wednesday, July 16.
Chris, who watched the moment unfold on CCTV, said a man riding an orange bike struck the van's windows with a 'hammer' before leaving the scene. He said it was a 'malicious attack', and confirmed nothing was stolen from the vehicle.
Chris, 35, told the Record: "I just could not believe it. You don't expect it to happen. I opened the van door and the window just smashed and fell on the road."
"It was someone on an orange bike. He just stopped at the van, took a hammer out of his jacket and hit the wing mirror with it, then hit the window before cycling away again.
"I definitely think it's targeted and malicious. It's not as if it's someone who just thinks 'I'm going to smash a van', because surely you wouldn't hit a charity van."
Pictures taken in the aftermath of the incident show the extent of the damag e, with the street and the van's interior left covered in smashed glass.
The damaged motor has been taken off the road, causing delays in delivering essential items to some of the city's most vulnerable people.
Police Scotland are now probing the incident.
He continued: "Yesterday there were four referrals going out, and some of them were beds for children who were sleeping on the floor because their parents had fled domestic abuse.
"This has just slowed us down with referrals because we are so, so busy. We get about 30 referrals a week just for our Houses2Homes [furniture reuse] project."
The charity is hoping to get the van repaired and back on the road by next Monday. With repairs costly and charity funds restricted, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help them cover the costs.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
A statement on the incident posted on their Facebook page shared how the team felt "saddened and frustrated" to share the news.
It read: "This van is not just a vehicle, it's a vital lifeline that helps us support some of the most vulnerable people in our community, from delivering food and essentials to transporting supplies for our projects & services."
However, they thanked those who have stood by them, and assured that their work "won't stop" despite the circumstances.
With the charity in the middle of a move to Dennistoun, Chris was concerned that the attack "wasn't a good welcome".
However, he added: "The residents have been brilliant. People have been phoning up and sending messages telling us not to let it change our minds, and it was one of the residents who actually created the GoFundMe page, which was very kind."
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'We received a report of damage to a vehicle on Duke Street, Glasgow, around 5.30pm on Wednesday, 16 July, 2025.
' Enquires are at an early stage.'
The GoFundMe page can be found here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
7 minutes ago
- BBC News
Police investigate suspected arson attack at New Islington marina
Police are investigating after a suspected arson attack at a marina on the edges of Manchester city spent four-and-a-half hours tackling the blaze at an outbuilding containing shower and toilet facilities at the marina in New Islington at about 01:00 Manchester Police said it was treating the incident as arson but no arrests had been made so injuries had been reported, the force added. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Tommy Robinson flees UK after seen next to unconscious man in train station
Footage circulating on social media appears to show far-right activist Tommy Robinson speaking to witnesses at St Pancras on Monday evening, shortly after a man was seen lying on the floor. Tommy Robinson shouts 'he came at me' as man lays motionless in St Pancras Tommy Robinson has fled the country after a man was knocked unconscious in a violent incident at St Pancras International Station. Shocking footage shows the victim lying face down on the concourse at the busy train station as paramedics administer CPR. The man, whose condition has not been publicly confirmed, suffered serious injuries and had to be rushed to hospital, reports the Mirror. Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - appeared visibly agitated in videos shared on social media, in which he is seen speaking to witnesses before making his way out of the station via an escalator. In the clip, he can be heard saying: "You saw him, he came at me." British Transport Police have now confirmed the suspect boarded a flight out of the UK just hours after the attack, which took place around 8.40pm on Sunday night. They said: 'Following a report of an assault at St Pancras station last night (28 July), officers have confirmed that the suspect, a 42-year-old man from Bedfordshire, boarded a flight out of the country in the early hours of this morning. " Detectives are continuing to work closely to progress the investigation and bring him into custody for questioning.' An eyewitness to the incident last night said eight police vehicles were lined up outside on both sides of the station after the incident at around 8.40pm. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. They told radio station LBC: "I saw an unconscious man being worked on by paramedics - they erected curtains around him. They were trying to resuscitate him and there was what looked like a blood transfusion bag. "The station was still open as normal while the incident was being dealt with." In the video, a distressed member of the public can be heard shouting for help as the injured man lay motionless. They say: "Quick, quick, can we get someone here quick."
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
This US forager is a fixture of Tucson known as the ‘mushroom man'. Now he faces deportation
As potent monsoon storms awaken a dormant desert around this time each year, Hernan Castro prepares to head for the southern Arizona mountains to forage for mushrooms that are a centerpiece of his life. Castro's passion for mushroom cultivation and ethical harvesting has earned him the nickname 'mushroom man' in his hometown of Tucson. A self-trained mycology expert and regular fixture at farmers markets, he makes a living leading foraging trips to mushroom-rich places and selling fungi-related products through his online business. But this summer, Castro is not free to scour the landscape for fungi that thrive in moist environments and help sustain his livelihood. The lawful immigrant sits behind bars for omitting a decades-old brush with the law when he applied for citizenship – something that now threatens his life in the United States amid the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement across the nation. Castro, who came to the US from Mexico, has been a permanent legal resident and green card holder for more than 20 years. But on 31 May, he was arrested for not disclosing a drug arrest that dates back to his teenage years, on his 2022 citizenship application. He has been in detention ever since, and is now facing a trial on immigration fraud charges and possible deportation. Friends and supporters are rallying around him and donating to a GoFundMe for his legal expenses that has raised more than $32,000. 'He's been in the US this whole time and he's had legal status,' said Cora Peterson, Castro's friend. 'I think it's very unfair that he was detained.' Legal experts, meanwhile, say Castro's case is yet another sign of the Trump administration's heavy-handed approach. Over the past several months, the president's push for mass deportations of violent immigrants who are in the country unlawfully has expanded a crackdown across states to include those with minor offenses or no criminal records. Stricter enforcement also has ensnared immigrants with legal status – including law-abiding people with deep roots in the community – and even some US citizens. According to a 28 May indictment from the US attorney's office of Arizona, Castro, 37, falsely answered 'no' to the question: 'Have you ever sold or smuggled controlled substances, illegal drugs or narcotics?' on his application for US naturalization – known as an N-400 form. Castro, who has pleaded not guilty to the felony charges, is scheduled to appear at a detention hearing on Wednesday in the US district court in Tucson, with his trial due to begin in September. His right to remain in the US will depend on the outcome, but he faces the prospect of losing his legal status and being deported. His lawyer, Matthew Green, declined to discuss the case but said his client remains in the custody of US marshals. A wrong answer on immigration forms like the N-400 can have serious consequences for applicants navigating a complex system, said Linda Dakin-Grimm, an immigration attorney in Los Angeles. 'Misrepresenting something, leaving something out can result in your status being taken away,' she said. Fraud in the citizenship application process is unusual, Dakin-Grimm said. But she expects to see prosecution in cases that might happen from time to time because the Trump administration 'has plainly shifted enforcement priorities'. Mo Goldman, a Tucson immigration attorney, agreed that while cases like Castro's are relatively uncommon, they're likely getting heightened scrutiny these days. While in the past alternatives to detention might have been considered, he said, that may no longer apply. 'Right now, we're seeing a much greater emphasis on taking people's green cards away. They're trying to deport more people.' Peterson also believes that what's happening to Castro is related to Donald Trump's clampdown on 'all sorts of immigration issues', and hopes her friend will be able to beat the charges and return home. 'He's a well-respected member of the community.' Castro said his foray into the world of medicinal mushrooms began in earnest about 10 years ago, according to an interview he gave on a 2023 episode of the Myco Guild podcast, when he began researching their healing properties to help his father recover from a series of strokes after an unfavorable prognosis. While he noted that the food and drug administration has not approved medicinal mushrooms for medical conditions, Castro credits fungi extract as a critical factor in his father's recovery. A couple of years ago, Peterson used to interact regularly with Castro at farmers markets where they both sold mushroom products. 'He's been doing mushroom walks,' she said. 'He's been just sharing his knowledge, his botanical and fungal knowledge.' Scott Huette met Castro at a venue where the mushroom forager had set up a booth showcasing his products. While Huette said the fraud allegations are serious, he doesn't see why someone who poses no harm to the community needs to be incarcerated while the case moves through the court system. 'Here's somebody who I've met, who I feel contributes to the community, and I think is doing something relevant.' Like Peterson, Huette also contributed toward Castro's legal expenses. 'I just felt like supporting a community member who's in trouble, who needs assistance,' Huette said. 'I'd like to see that he has an opportunity to defend himself.'
