Vandals spray ‘EU scum go home’ on French van

Vandals have scrawled ‘EU scum go home’ on a French registered van in an area that is heavily populated with people from other European nations.

Residents of the Torry area of Aberdeen were horrified to discover the xenophobic graffiti yesterday morning.

A study conducted after the 2016 referendum found that out of 10,500 people, about a fifth on the western side were born outside of the UK.

More than 11% of Torry West’s residents speak Polish at home, and another 8.9% speak another language other than English in their homes.

It is still unclear exactly what will happen with EU residents living in the UK, with the leaving date just weeks away.

French-born SNP councillor Christian Allard said the vandalism raised fears the van had been targeted due to its number plate.

He said: ‘I have looked at the graffiti and I can’t think of any other reason this van was attacked otherwise.

‘Luckily I haven’t seen anything else like this in the area. I think a lot of people in Torry are getting very worried at the moment as we get nearer to Brexit.’

Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart has raised concerns to the Home Office about plans for a test centre for those applying for UK citizenship in the city.

Despite writing to the government a year ago he has still not received anymore information.

He said: ‘A year has passed since I first raised this matter, and nearly a year since the Home Office told me a test centre would be opened.’

Alistair Gray branded the delay ‘daft’ and raised concerns about the costs he would have to endure having his Chinese wife travel to Glasgow to sit the test.

Police said the incident has not been reported.