A VANDAL has defaced a poster offering help to Govanhill's Irish community in another racist and xenophobic attack on initiatives run by Govanhill Baths Community Trust.

A poster advertising support during the pandemic for members of the Irish community was defaced with graffiti reading "Scots First".

It is the latest in a long running issue of racist slogans being scrawled on posters in the South Side area.

Jim Monaghan, of Govanhill Baths, said: "This isn't just one bad egg; every time we do something like this we have to deal with racist pushback.

"This is particularly stupid as this initiative is to help Irish people who have spent their whole lives in Govanhill and who have paid taxes and contributed to the community.

"The Irish community has been in Govanhill for more than 100 years. 

"The person who has done this does not represent the Govanhill community where decent people are coming together to make sure no one is left behind."  

Glasgow Times:

Govanhill Baths Community Trust had secured Scottish Government funding to help groups needing extra support during the pandemic, including the Somali, Roma and Irish communities.

The Trust had identified a large group of older Irish residents in the area who were isolated due to the Covid-19 crisis and advertised in the community to offer their services.

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But the poster at the corner of Victoria Road and Dixon Avenue was defaced.

Jim said: "There has been a real team effort in Govanhill during this crisis of local groups coming together to help and make sure no one is left struggling.

"A big part of that is getting the information out there so people know where to turn - so we put the posters up around the area.

"The Irish community is an integral part of Govanhill - and they are as Scottish as the rest of us." 

It is not the first time the Trust's staff have had to deal with racist and xenophobic graffiti scrawled in the area.

As well as vile comments written outside the Calder Street venue, racist slurs appeared on local phone booths in 2017 in the run up to the Govanhill Against Racism event.