Castle Douglas community group ‘bitterly disappointed’ after racist graffiti appeared on new benches

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A community group has been “bitterly disappointed” after racist and anti-Semitic graffiti appeared on one of its new benches just weeks after they were put in place.

The Forward Group at Castle Douglas Rotary has raised thousands of pounds, with help from Scotmid, the Co-op and Tesco, to install seats and picnic tables in Market Hill.

But on Monday, graffiti – called “derogatory nonsense” by the group’s president, Tracy Walker – appeared.

She said: “It’s just bitterly disappointing. I could not believe it. My daughter was walking around Monday night and called me to say there was writing all over the circular bench.

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“It’s really disappointing because it’s thousands of pounds of equipment that we just installed there.

“The park has been around for years and there is no graffiti as it is well located.

“There are residential streets and traffic, it’s quite an open space, whereas Carlingwark Park is a bit more isolated.

“We never expected this to happen, especially in such a short time.

“We have a huge coronation event there in May and we were hoping the benches were in place for the community to enjoy an event. Instead, we run to sort things out.

The benches and tables were installed last month and the Forward Group had also been working on plans to improve the Market Hill play park.

Ms Walker added: ‘We have very kindly received some wood from Oliver Ansbro, who own TAS Building Supplies, to create an outdoor storytelling area for the children.

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“We are making a big chair, the benches and the mushroom mushrooms which, again, will all be made of wood. Will they also be degraded? »

By midday on Tuesday the vandals had returned in a ‘not very successful’ attempt to remove the graffiti, which Ms Walker reported to police.

Sergeant Colin Scott said: ‘A report was made to police that between 1 and 4 April a wooden picnic bench near Market Hill in Castle Douglas was vandalized with offensive graffiti etched into it above. The investigation is ongoing. Police are asking witnesses to this crime to come forward and contact police on 101 quoting reference number PDG0064310423. »

Castle Douglas and Crocketford councilor Pauline Drysdale said: ‘This is very upsetting and disappointing for the community, Rotary Forward and for all those who have generously contributed.’

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