Spanish Civil War memorial in Motherwell has been vandalised for a second time

A memorial to the 11 men from Lanarkshire who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Spanish Civil War has been targeted for the second time in three weeks.
No PaseranNo Paseran
No Paseran

The No Paseran Committee gathered to lay a wreath there on Saturday only to see that history had repeated itself as key details on the stone had been chipped away at.

Committee member Andy Jones explained: “What we discovered was further damage to the rear of the memorial. We’re unsure of when this happened but must have been last Thursday or Friday. It appears too they have tried to cause permanent damage as they appear to have hit the marble with a hammer.”

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The group’s supporters, including Provost Jean Jones, have come forward to decry those responsible -who are thought to be extreme right-wingers.

She said: “This is an utterly vile attack on such an important landmark which serves to remember the people of North Lanarkshire who selflessly volunteered to fight against the fascist regime in Spain. Words cannot describe how appalled we are at this latest incident.”

Green Central Scotland List MSP Gillian Mackay, who was at the wreath laying said: “It is a cowardly act and those responsible must be held to account. I would call on North Lanarkshire Council to urgently explore the option of installing CCTV to limit any future damage or identify any future perpetrators and ask anyone with information to contact Police Scotland.”

MSP Stephanie Callaghan said: “This is heart-breaking news. For a memorial that celebrates democracy and freedom to be so cruelly targeted by wanton vandalism is incredibly disappointing. I stand in solidarity with the No Paseran Committee.”

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Clare Adamson MSP added: "I am appalled and saddened that this repugnant behaviour continues. Not only is this vandalism deeply disrespectful to those who lost their lives, it shames our community and diminishes people's enjoyment of a public space.”

A statement from The North Lanarkshire Trades Council read: “We, the trade union council of our county condemn this.

"We call on people of North Lanarkshire to not let fascism take hold, it is a poisonous rhetoric and vision which will strangle all that is good in our county.”