The First Minister has called on the public to come forward with information following a spate of attacks on Asian communities in and around Glasgow.
Nicola Sturgeon spoke out the issue at First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood after it was raised by Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw.
Mr Carlaw’s Eastwood constituency includes areas where targeted housebreakings have occurred in recent weeks.
He said Police Scotland had confirmed there has been a “sustained series of forensically aware gang-related targeted attacks on Asian households” in Eastwood and East Dunbartonshire.
He said officers had pointed to “a reluctance on the part of the public who believe that information they have will be regarded as either trivial or circumstantial”.
“If we are going to tackle this particular and very pernicious attack on the Asian community it does require all of the public to give whatever information they have immediately to the police so they that they can act on it,” Mr Carlaw said.
Ms Sturgeon, who represents a large Asian population in her own Glasgow Southside constituency, said the attacks were “absolutely unacceptable and should be completely condemned by all of us”.
“I know people personally who have been targeted in this way in recent weeks,” she said.
“Jackson Carlaw is right to say anybody in the community who has concerns should come forward and share those concerns.
“The information they give will never be treated as trivial because it is not trivial.
“These attacks are pernicious and they must be tackled.”
She added: “I think all of us should give all of the support we can to a very valued and valuable part of our community as they face attacks that are so completely unacceptable.”