Boy, 7, attacked in Scotland for wearing England shirt

Blackleaf · Boy, 7, attacked in Scotland for wearing England shirt

FULLY GROWN Scotsman attacked a 7 year old Scottish/New Zealand boy......because he was wearing an England football shirt.

Boy, 7, attacked in Scotland for wearing England shirt
21st June 2006

A seven-year-old football fan punched in the head by a racist thug because he was wearing an England top vowed today to continue to support his soccer heroes.

Hugo Clapshaw was enjoying a kick-around with his father in Edinburgh at the weekend when a man shouted abuse and lashed out with his fists.

Lothian and Borders Police today branded the attack "cowardly and pathetic" and Scottish politicians joined in the condemnation.

His father, Damon Clapshaw, a 34-year-old finance worker originally from New Zealand who now lives in Edinburgh, said: "Hugo decided to support England as there wasn't really much choice.

"He might decide next week to support Argentina, it's not about race, he's just a kid.

"But he's not going to let this mindless thug put him off supporting England."

The incident happened on Saturday afternoon in Inverleith park as Hugo, his father, mother Kirsty, 35, sister Lily, four, and seven-month-old Skye enjoyed a family day out.

Out of the blue, the man ran towards Hugo, who was on his scooter, and punched him. Mr Clapshaw confronted the man but he too was punched to the ground and kicked. A passing motorist screamed from her car and the man ran off.

Hugo told the Scottish Sun newspaper: "The man whacked me very hard. He was a lot bigger than me. I am still going to wear the top. My mum bought it for me because I'm supporting England."

Mr Clapshaw added: "I couldn't believe this was happening, in broad daylight. Hugo was in floods of tears and was in a lot of pain.

"I challenged the guy and asked him what it was all about but he turned on me as I walked away. I thought he wasn't going to stop and that maybe he was going to stab me."

He said the man shouted "This is Scotland, not f***** England" after the attack.

"We still love Scotland and we're not going to let this spoil things but it is the last thing we expected to happen on a family day out."

A police spokesman said they were investigating the "cowardly and pathetic" attack.

He added: "We will not be advising people not to wear England shirts."

Meanwhile, police in Aberdeen were hunting a man who attacked a disabled driver because he was wearing an England shirt and flying a St George's Cross from his car.

Ian Smith was sitting in his car on Aberdeen's Anderson Road waiting to pick up a friend's child from school when he was attacked.

Mr Smith, who is originally from Peterborough, is registered disabled.

He was left with a badly-bruised right eye and double vision as a result of the unprovoked assault at about 3pm yesterday.

The 41-year-old told the Press and Journal newspaper: "He just came up to the car and started giving me a load of abuse about supporting England.

"I told him there was no need for all this bigotry because it's only football but he grabbed the flag, snapped it in half and then pulled me out of the car and threw me to the ground.

"I've lived in Aberdeen for years but this is the first time I've ever suffered a physical racist attack."

Aberdeen South MP Anne Begg was "sickened" by the attack.

She said: "Aberdeen is a dynamic, multi-cultural city which is known for being welcoming to all people. It's very upsetting that someone could attack another man purely for being English.

"In a city where we have a very popular English Lord Provost, I am quite sure others in Aberdeen will be absolutely disgusted."

Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie said: "These are appalling incidents - indicative of the worst traits of narrow-minded thuggery, which every self-respecting Scot should condemn outright.

"Scotland is made up of tolerant, kindly, open-minded people and it beholds all of us, in word and deed, to represent our country positively."

Prime Minister Tony Blair also condemned the attack.

Speaking at Commons Question Time today, Labour's Anne Begg, MP for Aberdeen South, invited the Prime Minister to join the "vast majority" of Scots in condemning the wanton violence against Mr Smith.

Mr Blair said: "I am sure everybody condemns what was an appalling and totally unjustifiable attack."

But he also emphasised: "In fairness to the football fans from England as well, the vast majority of them behave extremely well.

"I think the way that this present World Cup is being conducted is absolutely excellent and is a great tribute not just to the German authorities who are conducting it and in charge of it, but to the English fans who have travelled there."

dilymail.co.uk

Aventinian

I hope they're caught and put in prison for a good, long time. Sickening.

SLG

Aye that's pretty nasty. Seems a bit OTT IMO for TB to be getting involved though.

IF Convenor

Completely agree on both counts, SLG.

I'm surprised the Daily Mail and/or TB aren't directly blaming Jack McConnell for this. Give them time, I suppose.

Blackleaf

Kelvin MacKenzie.
The Sun
22nd June 2006

I have some good news and bad news about the English-hating Scots.

The good news is that they are dying sooner than the rest of us.

The Office of National Statistics reveals that Glaswegians especially are going early.

The Government office says that thanks to a lifelong diet of misery, cynicism, fried Mars bars and tins of syrupy beer, Glaswegians are turning in their sporrans at 70 years old, compared to the UK average of 76.

Now the bad news. Five years ago, Allan Robinson, 44, moved from Leeds, Yorkshire, to the ugly suburb of Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, in Scotland.

(Last year, Coatbridge had more 999 calls than the rest of Scotland. Nice people.)

He put a single St George's Cross (England flag) in his window to support England. The effect; thugs smashed three windows.

He went down to the shops in his England kit with his girlfriend and the locals hurled abuse at them.

He was so frightened, he didn't leave his home all weekend and is now thinking of moving. Only thinking?

The faster we accept that Scotland are England are two nations divided by a common language, the better.

My solution is simple: Build Hadrian's Wall another hundred foot higher and start lifting in Red Cross parcels of.....Mars bars.

thesun.co.uk

IF Convenor

And the CRE thinks to lecture Scots about anti-Englishness?

The vitriol emanating from some of the London-based press is shocking, but does the CRE speak up? That would be expecting a bit too much, wouldn't it?

parkhead_rfb

oddly enough the attacker was wearin scotlands blue shirt of shame (a rangers top) i thought they loved the whole british phenomenon.

the bard of keppoch

the two attacks were cowardly attacks against young and old,one of the biggest thing that sickens me is attack on weans,and the elderly

Reluctant Hero

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/5132286.stm