Basketball team speaks out after ‘racist attacks on players’

Glasgow Rocks said three black players have been threatened, referred to as 'monkeys' and harassed.

Basketball team speaks out after ‘racist attacks on players’ Twitter

Glasgow Rocks has said three of the club’s black players have been subjected to racist attacks, harassment and vandalism since moving to Scotland.

The basketball team said it is “deeply saddened” over the incidents, which includes car tyres being slashed and a windscreen smashed with a hammer.

The club said Frenchmen David Mpondo and Marc Kwedi, as well as Dutch star Julius Van Sauers, were forced to move house to escape the torment.

The trio have reportedly been threatened, referred to as “monkeys”, made to feel “watched and unwelcome”, and were harassed by calls to the police – falsely claiming that they had prostitutes in their house.

Glasgow Rocks said the players were targeted within weeks of joining the club at the start of the season.

In a statement issued on Thursday night, Glasgow Rocks said: “Glasgow and Scotland are wonderful places to live and grow. It is, however, a place that is not immune from racism.

“As it was a police incident the club have held off speaking about this. 

“Unfortunately, we do not have any hard evidence of who attacked the car therefore there is little that can be done in terms of prosecution. 

“However, we feel like the least we can do is draw attention to the incidents that have occurred.

“Racism is not something that is a distant problem. It is in Glasgow, it is in Scotland and it is and can be everywhere.

“We are happy to report that the players have since been moved to another property where they have encountered no further disturbances.

“It goes without saying how deeply saddened we are that this was their first experience of Glasgow.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of offensive communication and enquiries into the matter are ongoing.”

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