Racist graffiti causes uproar

Race tensions have been re-ignited in Windsor after racist graffiti was found scrawled on the walls of an underpass.

Residents were shocked to find racist threats and swaztikas painted in black paint along the entire length of the underpass which runs beneath Goslar Way between Vansittart Road and Green Lane. 'BNP' and 'KKK' also featured in the intimidating display which was produced sometime over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The incident comes just weeks after a string of convictions for racially aggravated crimes at the Medina Dairy site in Windsor.

Cllr Eileen Quick (Clewer East) said: "It's a big problem and the police are aware of it and they have been liasing with our officers on this. It is worrying that there might be people who are associating with Nazi groups. There's been stuff on the news about the big rally they're having in Germany, so it could be that someone has seen it and copied it. If it continues and people are determined to get their message across then we'll have to deal with it."

Residents in nearby York Road and Springfield Road have been shocked by the racist slurs and say it is the most extreme graffiti they have ever seen in the area. A woman from Springfield Road, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said: "Never in the 20 years I have been here have I seen anything as bad as that. It's Ku Klux Klan stuff. I'd be frightened if my son saw it. My son has Asian and black friends and I would be embarrassed if one of his friends saw it."

The underpass is used regularly by children to access Oakfield First School along with Vansittart skate park and playground on the other side of busy Goslar Way.

Sheila Quinlan, 46, from York Road said: "I have three kids aged eight, nine and 10 and we have to go down that under-pass every day, so I'm having to explain to them what it means and why do people do it. It's such a shame. It infects the whole community. I have seen graffiti there before but nothing racist."

She continued: "There are a lot of English people here but I'm not aware of any racism. Perhaps it is more subtle. I grew up with racism in Slough and I don't want my kids to be exposed to that."

Roger Robertson, south-east regional officer for the BNP party alleged that anti-racism groups were responsible for the graffiti in their quest to blacken the BNP's reputation.

He said: "We know full well that it is the UAF (United Against Fascism) who are responsible for these occurrences. They do this and everyone's up in arms and blaming the BNP. I would like to see the people who did this very severely punished."

The police commented: "This graffiti was reported to police by a police enquiry centre member of staff. It has been photographed and categorised as a crime and the council's team has been asked to clean it off. ."

The Royal Borough's street care department painted over the graffiti on Wednesday morning.

Ascot, Windsor and Eton Express