In the third incident this year, racist graffiti has appeared in Elgin’s Cooper Park.
Jérémie Fernandes, councillor of Elgin North, was alerted to the vandalism by a member of the public on Friday afternoon.
The graffiti at Cooper Park featured a spray-painted swastika on a tree near the skate park as well as white supremacist slogans on a nearby wall and racist language daubed on the ground.
Mr Fernandes says it’s not the first time that racist graffiti has appeared in Elgin, saying it is the third time since his election in May 2022 this has occurred.
He said: “It is not the first time I have reported racist graffiti in Elgin to council officers.
“There are clearly a handful of individuals who think it is acceptable to paint far-right slogans on public property.”
‘It is not funny, it is not edgy’
The councillor added: “Defacing a skatepark where kids play is pathetic. Children should not have to see this despicable expression of hate.
“It is not funny, it is not edgy and it certainly does not represent the views of the people of Elgin and Moray.
“The matter is in hand, and I expect the graffiti will be removed soon.”
It comes after a far-right anti-immigrant rally was held at Cooper Park back in June, which included a speaker who likes to style himself on Adolf Hitler.
The rally by a far-right group, Highland Division, went ahead, but campaigners against the group soon outnumbered those in attendance.
When news broke of the planned rally Mr Fernandes at the time called it “stressful and alarming”.
It is believed the rally was held in response to plans by the nearby Eight Acres Hotel to house up to 50 migrants at the expense of paying guests.