The leaders of the political groups on Dundee City Council today issued a joint statement calling for tolerance towards people of all backgrounds and condemning the sharing of online misinformation.
The statement, from Councillor Mark Flynn (SNP and Council administration leader), and Bailies Kevin Keenan (Labour), Fraser Macpherson (Liberal Democrat) and Derek Scott (Conservative), follows an incident in the Lochee area of the city at the weekend.
Police have already urged the public not to share misinformation on social media in relation to an incident in which a Bulgarian couple were approached by youths in Dundee.
A 12-year-old girl has been charged in connection with the incident.
The Council group leaders said: “Dundee has a proud history of welcoming people from all over the world. It is a city built on the values of acceptance and togetherness.
“As political leaders, we come together today to reaffirm that there is no place for racism, hate, or discrimination in any form.
“That includes the online spreading of misinformation and disinformation, which causes fear and stokes division in our communities.
“Sharing inaccurate posts, or speculating on incidents being dealt with by the justice system, is unacceptable. We urge people to heed the warning issued by the police.
“Intolerance has no place in our city or in our lives. We express our solidarity with the diverse communities of Dundee and our commitment to a united, tolerant and caring city.”
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
