According to a post on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, racist graffiti has been found at the St. Andrews building. The graffiti – which has since been painted over – reads “Kill the Chinese.”
This appears to be part of a string of hate-crimes occurring in Glasgow, with similar vandalism recently being found in at least four different locations across the city. Along with the St. Andrews building, racist graffiti also appeared on a flagpole directly outside of the University. The vandalism comes less than a year after cartoon graffiti depicting racist stereotypes of east and south-east Asian people appeared near the River Clyde.
In light of recent events, a spokesperson for the University has said: “The University of Glasgow condemns discrimination of any kind and is committed to promoting equality and diversity across its community and campus.
“The security and wellbeing of students and staff is the University’s number one priority and treats all incidents and complaints seriously. The University investigates all incidents thoroughly and works closely with law enforcement agencies when required.”
The University has confirmed that they are working with Police Scotland to investigate the situation.
Some university societies have also spoken out about the graffiti. The Chinese Students and Scholars Association said: “We are appalled by this outrageous racist action and hate crime, and would like to urge all relevant parties to act swiftly to ensure this will not happen again.
“We believe that the Chinese among all other people living in Glasgow have the right to enjoy a safe and friendly environment. No groups should be targeted because of their ethnicity, religion or sexuality.”
The graffiti is currently under investigation by Police Scotland. Speaking to Glasgow World, inspector Mhairi Crawford said: “The incidents occurred between 19 and 20 September, 2022. Officers will be reviewing CCTV footage from that area and enquiries are ongoing.
Police have urged anyone with any information on the vandalism to come contact Police Scotland on 101.
