Writing in The Scotsman Council Leader Jane Meagher stresses the positive contribution made by immigration to the city and urges every citizen to ensure it remains an inclusive and welcoming place.
Over a week has passed since the horrific Islamophobic attacks that took place in Edinburgh on Friday 19 June. This was a deeply traumatic experience for all those affected – and, while thankfully there were no life-threatening injuries, I know that the mental and physical scars will stay with the victims for a long time to come.
I want to thank Police Scotland and the other emergency services for their swift response on Friday evening. I also want to thank the police for their clear communication and broader community support in the aftermath.
Sadly, the attacks of last Friday did not happen in a vacuum. In recent times, we’ve seen a rise in far-right and racist rhetoric, fuelled by those - some of whom are in the public eye - who take advantage of their platform, be it political, in the media or online to spread hate. We are in an era where fake news and disinformation are shared rapidly on social media – further fanning flames of division and intolerance.
I know that long before last Friday those in Edinburgh’s Muslim and other minority communities, were feeling increasingly apprehensive and scared.
Over the last week, as I consider what I can do in my role as Council Leader to respond in a positive and constructive way – I am clear that I will not accept residents of Edinburgh being made to go about their lives in fear on the streets of our city.
On Monday, I joined the First Minister at Broomhouse and Annandale Mosques to meet with some of those affected by the attacks. As you might imagine, this was a humbling experience to hear first hand from some of the victims who quite literally were still bearing the scars of these attacks. One of the things that stuck with me most is that they told me that they came to Edinburgh because they felt it was safe here.
It made me sad and angry that those I spoke with said that they no longer feel safe walking down the street or taking part in community events. It is simply unacceptable that residents of Scotland’s capital city do not feel safe.
On Thursday, fellow councillors put aside political differences to stand united against the vile and hateful rhetoric espoused by increasingly vocal sections of our society, agreeing a clear set of actions to make sure that in Edinburgh people of colour are safe and supported to live without fear, to provide reassurance and to put in place practical and tangible steps.
Together, we agreed to organise an emergency summit to discuss how to tackle racism and make sure that all Edinburgh residents can live without fear of violence or abuse – and I’m pleased that plans are already underway to bring this together.
This isn’t something that we as a council can do in isolation - our partnership work with the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, faith leaders, unions, third sector organisations and other partners continues as we all focus on preventing a repeat of these attacks.
We all have a part to play in taking a stand against racism and prejudice and I have been heartened to see our communities coming together once again this week for a peaceful protest in solidarity with the victims.
Edinburgh is, and has always been, a proud, welcoming and diverse city - our city and its culture are all the better for it. People from across the world call Edinburgh home, we’re proud to be a city of sanctuary – welcoming all those who come here in search of a new or better life.
The same is true, of course, in the other direction, with many of those who choose to leave Edinburgh (and Scotland) contributing significantly to other societies across the world – something we Scots have done so successfully for hundreds of years.
Just last month, we launched a new citywide campaign – ‘Edinburgh is our Home’ – working with partners we are shining a spotlight on real-life stories of people who have made Edinburgh their home.
The campaign is designed to celebrate the positive contribution immigration makes to our city and promote Edinburgh as an inclusive and welcoming place, with a firm focus on the individuals and organisations who help make this possible.
Another key part of this campaign, is to promote a better understanding of differing faiths and communities, showing that our biggest strength lies in all those who live here.
I can think of no better beacons of diversity than our children and young people. We already do a huge amount of work to promote a positive culture in our schools – making sure they are welcoming, safe and respectful spaces – and have a variety of programmes in place to support and encourage this.
One example of this is our Discover programme, which we have run for the past eight years in communities across the city. Designed to tackle poverty and inequality, the programme brings families together during the school holidays offering practical support and activities for children. Another example is our wonderful Saroj Lal Awards, encouraging children and young people to submit artwork that challenges inequality through creativity.
Everyone who calls Edinburgh home has a role to play in supporting our friends, neighbours and colleagues of all faiths and none – and to take a stand against any forms of prejudice.
Just as it is incumbent on each and every one of us to stand up and fight back against the poison that is polluting our political discourse, justifying hate and racism on our streets and legitimising violent attacks and other forms of abuse.
As Council Leader, proud Edinburgh resident, mother and grandmother of children of colour, rest assured that I will not stand for it and am doing everything in my power to tackle it head on.