A Scots community centre that hosts kids groups has been tarred with vile sectarian graffiti – leaving a volunteer heartbroken.
Lochwinnoch Annexe in Renfrewshire was targeted with the slur ‘Kill all huns’ spray-painted on its walls earlier this week.
Community leader Robert McLeish said he was left in tears when he saw the hateful message etched on the facility. The 41-year-old who saved the doomed complex in 2017 and has worked tirelessly to keep it running.
The message was sprayed on the front of the building in green paint, while ‘CFC’ and ‘UC’ was also sprayed on the walls at the centre.
The dad-of-two told the Record: “It’s mindless vandalism and its the kind of hateful message that shouldn’t be broadcast anywhere. When I first saw it I thought it was photoshopped. When I realised it was real I broke down in tears.”
Robert has revealed the graffiti was quickly removed by a selfless business who washed and repainted the building free of charge. But the vandalism comes as the annexe is in desperate need of funds or else it won’t survive past the summer.
Last month Robert launched a desperate appeal for £15,000 to save the centre which is used for fitness classes as well as a youth group each Friday. Amongst repairs needed is a new boiler system.
“I’ve put blood, sweat and tears into the building. The repairs are currently piling up. To see that was a kick in the teeth,” Robert added.
“It’s becoming a real challenge and this is another setback but the community support has been incredible. People have been so kind. In the end it hasn’t cost us anything for repairs but it’s still wrong what happened and whoever did it needs to be stopped.
“They’ve sprayed green and white all over the village. And they have written ‘UC’ elsewhere too. I don’t think it has been targeted, I think they’ve just seen this as a blank canvas to use.”
Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.
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