3 days ago
Hate crime declared as 'disgusting' antisemitic graffiti appears in Dundee city centre
'Sinister' antisemitic graffiti written on a Dundee city centre poster is being treated as a hate crime.
The vandalism was discovered on Tuesday May 20 in the Arctic Pend tunnel, which connects New Inn Entry to the High Street and gives access to the Keiller Centre.
Vandals targeted a poster, which has the message 'It can't be terrible forever' written on it.
Beneath the message they had written: 'Only kicking out the Jews will make things better.'
The bottom part of the poster containing the message has now been ripped off.
Police say they are treating the incident as a hate crime.
Cllr Fraser Macpherson, the Lib Dem group leader on Dundee City Council, said 'Dundee has always been an inclusive city, welcoming to all, and Dundonians will agree with me that any racist and antisemitic graffiti is disgusting and totally unacceptable.'
He added: 'It is a criminal offence and a hate crime and Police Scotland moved fast to put out an appeal for anyone who witnessed this taking place to contact them.
'I have raised this dreadful graffiti with the council's environment management to ensure it gets removed.'
Mayfield councillor Lynne Short (SNP) said: 'There has been a proliferation of graffiti appearing in the city centre recently.
'Most of it is senseless and mindless.
'But this one is disgusting.
'We shouldn't be in a situation where any race, creed or colour should be brought into anything – least of all, street graffiti.'
'This is not mindless graffiti, or people just passing the time of day.
'This is more sinister.
'It's targeted and it is not right.'
Police have appealed for witnesses to the vandalism to come forward.
PC Rebecca Cantwell from the city centre policing team said: 'Due to the nature of this graffiti, we are treating this act as a hate crime.
'Our enquiries are ongoing, and we are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us.'
Police have urged anyone with any information to contact 101 and to quote incident number CR/0211555/25.
Members of the public can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
