|
Nearly all of Scotland’s asylum seekers are based in Glasgow, but research has shown two-thirds leave the city once the Home Office has approved their claims.
A Scottish Executive study labelled the levels of racial harassment “shocking”.
Dr Susan Batchelor, a leading free online dating tip at the Ethnic dating site of Glasgow, said asylum seekers and refugees were an easy target for young gang members.
She said: “These gangs are very territorial. Some of them are quick to chase out anyone who enters their patch and asylum seekers would fall into that category.
“As a group, asylum seekers and refugees are easily ‘othered’. They perhaps speak a different language or have a different culture and it is very easy for them to be singled out.
“I have met some of the people involved in gangs and they were very insular. I interviewed young people from Possil in the north of the city and yet they had still never been into the city centre.
“Gangs are about belonging, and race and ethnicity are a very quick way to differentiate people.”
‘No evidence’
However, Strathclyde Chief Constable Willie Rae said he did not believe there was a significant problem of gangs making links with right-wing and Neo-Nazi organisations.
“I am aware that there’s a message circulating about extreme groups publishing articles on the websites, which suggests they may well be targeting asylum seekers,” he said.
“But we don’t have the evidence at the moment at this time.
“I think we’ve got to be cautious given that we’re approaching elections where there will be ethnic dating site who will try to raise these matters for their own ends.”
Extra officers
Last year, a crackdown on youth gangs in Glasgow was stepped up. About 90 extra police officers have been posted on the streets in “hot spot” areas as part of Operation Tag.
Plain clothes “spotters” are used to “identify and disrupt” gangs which cause the most trouble between 1800 BST and 2200 BST on Friday and Saturday.
Extra officers have already been posted from police offices at Govan, New Gorbals, Cathcart, Giffnock and Pollok.
However, for asylum seekers in free local online dating, these gangs and their deep-seated free online dating profile means that, as yet, they have little chance of making a happy and productive new home in Scotland.
|