Scottish leader Yousaf targeted with Islamophobic graffiti near home

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf delivers a speech during the Scottish National Party (SNP) annual conference. (File/AFP)

• Incident comes same day as Scotland enacts new hate crime law
• SNP leader denounces graffiti, calls for a ‘zero-tolerance approach to hatred’

LONDON: Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf was targeted with Islamophobic graffiti near his home on the same day the country’s new hate crime law was enacted, The Times reported.
Racist remarks referencing Yousaf’s Pakistani heritage appeared on walls and fences near his house in Dundee, where he lives with his family, on Tuesday.
The vandalism was quickly removed and Police Scotland said it had launched an investigation into the incident.
Yousaf, who made history last year as the Scottish government’s first ethnic minority and Muslim leader, shared on social media: “I do my best to shield my children from the racism and Islamophobia I face on a regular basis. That becomes increasingly difficult when racist graffiti targeting me appears near our family home.
“A reminder of why we must, collectively, take a zero-tolerance approach to hatred.”
Members of the public in Broughty Ferry described the graffiti as “absolutely shocking.”
One resident told local media: “It’s awful what’s been plastered on the walls but I don’t think the timing is a coincidence. Whoever has done this is clearly targeting Humza and one of the walls mentioned something about the new law.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Nationalist Party stated: “This graffiti was sickening and completely unacceptable … we are grateful to the authorities for acting to remove it so quickly because this type of vile, racist language can have a serious impact on the individuals, families, and wider community who are forced to see it.
“Racism has absolutely no place in our society and everyone must play their part to challenge it.”
Scots Asians for Independence, an affiliated SNP group, said on X: “The abuse included a P-word slur aimed at the SNP leader. Is this still considered free speech? This is why we need hate crime laws that deter this kind of obscene behavior.”
A representative from Police Scotland confirmed that the investigation into the graffiti was ongoing, emphasizing the commitment to addressing and curbing hate crimes, The Times reported.