A rise in the number of racist incidents in Scotland is disappointing, the Scottish Nationalist (SNP) Minister for Community Safety Roseanna Cunningham said.
Figures published in December show that the number of racist incidents recorded by the police in Scotland has increased from 4,911 in 2010-11 to 5,389 in 2011-12.
Ms Cunningham said: “I am very disappointed to see an increase in the number of racist incidents recorded by police. It is all the more disheartening given the downward trend observed in recent years. However, we know that this is not always due to an increased number of crimes taking place, but can instead be attributed to individuals and communities being better engaged with the police and having more confidence to report perpetrators of such crimes, and that when reporting a crime their complaint will be taken seriously.
“Scotland has an outstanding reputation as a welcoming and tolerant nation and we cannot let a minority of people tarnish our image. We want Scotland to be a country where all our people can live free from fear and discrimination.
“Regardless of the reasons for the increase, we must continue with the work we are doing to tackle racism and hatred in all its forms whilst constantly looking at new ways of getting across the message to the next generation of young Scots. Along with tough enforcement through record numbers of police officers on our streets, community engagement and education is driving home the message that there is no place for racism of any kind in Scotland.”
The SNP Scottish Government said that it’s committed to promoting equality across Scotland and working with others to do so. It’s are providing funding to core organisations to combat bigotry and hatred of all kinds with nearly £6m being provided during 2012-15.
As background, you can view the stats at – http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/12/4963
