A leading councillor has said he is “horrified” after racist and sectarian comments were made online about traffic wardens in Oban.
Police are looking to speak to witnesses after the statements were made on the Facebook page You Are Not A Real Obanite If You Don’t Remember….
A post by a churchgoer complaining about parking warden booking people parked outside St Columba’s Cathedral on Corran Esplanade on Easter Sunday sparked a huge debate.
But the tone was drastically lowered when one Facebook user made offensive comments about the colour of skin of one of the wardens and the football team of another.
Sergeant Alan Moore at Oban Police Station said: “It was brought to our attention that there were racist and sectarian comments put on the site.
“They were deleted from it prior from us being able to access them. We are still looking to speak to witnesses regarding it and if anyone wants to come forward, please get in touch.
“We want people to come forward to report all racist, sectarian or homophobic language. There is no place for it.”
Roddy McCuish, Lead Councillor for Oban Lorn and the Isles, said: “I fully understand the concerns of people being booked outside the cathedral on Easter Sunday, but those double yellow lines are there for a reason and that reason is it is illegal and unsafe to park there.
“There are car parks nearby behind the cathedral and at the Corran Halls.
“As for the racist and sectarian comments, I am absolutely horrified and ashamed that sort of thing could happen in Oban.
“The information I have is that these comments were anonymous, this is the danger of social media, people can say what they want.”
The Right Rev Mgr Cannon James MacNeil, the priest of the cathedral, made no comment.
A spokesman for Argyll and Bute Council, which employs the traffic wardens, said: “We have a duty to ensure people park responsibly.
“People will be fined if they park on these lines regardless of whether they were at church, visiting relatives or doing their weekly shopping.
“This particular stretch of road is very narrow and the council receives regular complaints about people parking on the double yellow lines and blocking the road for other motorists, particularly emergency vehicles.
“here are solid reasons in everyone’s interests to ensure people park responsibly.”
