POLICE have received “a number of complaints” following a tweet from an SNP councillor which said “we hate the United Kingdom” in the aftermath of the Eurovision results.
Rhiannon Spear, who represents the Greater Pollok ward in Glasgow and is the SNP's national women's convenor, has been accused of using “abhorrent language” after she wrote: "It's ok Europe we hate the United Kingdom too. Love, Scotland."
The post faced backlash online, with the Scottish Tories describing it as an example of the party’s “toxic obsession with division”.
And now Police Scotland have confirmed they have received complaints into the post and are investigating.
A spokeswoman for the force said: ““We have received a number of complaints regarding a tweet posted on Saturday, May 22, and these are currently being assessed.”
Ms Spear issued a statement apologising for the post, and her account later temporarily went offline.
It has since been reactivated.
She said: "I have now deleted this tweet about the UK's results in the Eurovision Song Contest, and apologise for any offence caused."
The UK was handed a crushing defeat in the Eurovision Song Contest, scoring nil points.
The competition, which was held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, after the show was cancelled in 2020, was won by Italy with rock band Maneskin's Zitti E Buoni.
The UK's hopeful James Newman scored zero points from the jury vote and from the public vote, the only entry to do so poorly.
Condemning the post, Scottish Conservative chief whip Stephen Kerr said: “The mask has again slipped from the SNP and this is another example of their toxic obsession with division.
“This is abhorrent language from one of the SNP’s most prominent campaigners and a 2021 election candidate, not to mention chair of Glasgow City Council’s education committee.
“We should be teaching tolerance and inclusion, not hate and division.”
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