RACISM and anti-immigration slurs are growing in Dumfries and Galloway and must be combated, a councillor insisted this week.
Lochar Councillor Linda Dorward says that she has witnessed “appalling” hate-filled messages online recently over immigrants being given shelter in this region.
The no-nonsense councillor – a former governor of Dumfries Prison – wants to see more action taken to help stamp out racism and discrimination towards refugees being resettled locally.
Speaking at committee on Tuesday, Councillor Dorward said: “It’s appalling some of the things we are seeing on social media about people that are coming to live in this region.
“We can’t resolve it as a council but we do need to play a larger part in that.”
She highlighted a failure by the local authority to raise a flag on Windrush Day in June, despite her motion last year.
And she decried the lack of Black History Month activities, adding: “There’s Black History Month this month – and the council has got a big fat nothing about it.
“I appreciate that probably in the demographics in this region we’ve got a minority of individuals who are black, but we’ve got a significant minority of individuals who are black coming into this region and we need to do more to recognise that.
“This would actually combat racism and anti-immigration sentiments which are rife at the moment.”
The chief social work officer Stephen Morgan agreed to make sure the Windrush flag issue is followed up.
