Inverness school’s Christmas show cancelled after ‘racist’ abuse

An Inverness primary school was forced to cancel its Christmas show after receiving “racist and abusive” online messages.

Cauldeen Primary planned to stage a musical that included a scene telling the story of refugee children caught up in the Syrian conflict, according to the Press and Journal newspaper.

Highland Council said there was “negative feedback” on social media and “racist and abusive” messages – some of them directed at the school and staff.

Police Scotland said it had received a report of threatening and abusive communications online and its inquiries were ongoing.

A Highland Council spokesperson said: “Following negative feedback on social media, including racist and abusive messages – some of which were directed at the school and staff – the school has made the wellbeing of staff and pupils its main priority.

“Instead of a Christmas show, classes will enjoy other festive learning activities in school.

“Under devolved school management, decisions like this are an operational matter for the school.”

A police spokesperson said: “On the morning of Friday 21 November we received a report of threatening and abusive communications online.

“Inquiries are ongoing.”

The incident comes against the backdrop of a row over the UK government’s plans to use Inverness’s Cameron Barracks as asylum seeker accommodation.

The Home Office proposes housing about 300 men at the military site, near Inverness city centre, over 12 months.

Highland Council and the Scottish government have accused the UK government of a lack of consultation on the move.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander has said the Home Office consulted the Scottish government as well as “a range of local organisations” on the plans in advance of them being made public.

Demonstrations have taken place in Inverness in support of asylum seekers, and opposing the plans.

Since January 2022, Highland Council has supported asylum seeking children through the Home Office’s National Transfer scheme.

The local authority, working with charities and other organisations, set up the Comraich service in December 2022 to lease accommodation for 56 young people aged 16 and over.

Latest Home Office data from June shows that the Highland local authority area, with a population 236,330, also had 143 people living there under the Afghan resettlement programme.

A further 438 Ukrainians have moved to the area under a resettlement scheme launched after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The first scheme to be supported by Highland Council was the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme in 2016.

It enabled families from Syria to be resettled into properties provided by the local authority.