Racism and bullying have forced a single mother and her 10-year-old son to flee their home in Pollokshields.

Originally from Kenya, Mercy Kamanja and her son Ian, left, went to live in Pollokshields last September.

‘Being African, I was very pleased to be living in a multi-cultural community,’ said Mercy who is studying for a BA in Community Learning and Development at Glasgow University. ‘But right from the beginning, Asian neighbours and Asian boys at school, caused us trouble.’

Ian suffered daily verbal abuse in school and outside. He was beaten up on several occasions and the last – just before the spring term recess – forced his mother to take direct action to remove the family to a different part of the city. ‘I was concerned for Ian’s safety,’ said Mercy.

Deliberately isolated in class because he was the only black boy, Ian was also being called names. ‘This upset him and the school did nothing about it,’ said his mother. She removed him from Pollokshields Primary to St Albert’s Primary in the hope it would be better for him. ‘But some of the boys calling themselves the Young Shields Gangsters – ages with my son – and led by the son of a neighbour – attacked him when he was playing football.’

Later Ian’s bicycle tyres were punctured so he had to walk to school. On that day he was ambushed by the gang and beaten up again. On another occasion a broken glass was thrust into his face narrowly missing his eye. Mercy reported all the incidents to the police at the time they happened. ‘If something happened at 3pm it would be 8pm before police arrived,’ added the concerned mother. ‘The police rarely got back to me. On one occasion after this neighbour had abused me verbally and I’d reported her for racist abuse, the police cautioned her. She then went to a lawyer and had a letter sent to me threatening to take an interdict out to prevent me approaching her son. I look on this as official bullying,’ said Mercy with feeling.

A letter from Strathclyde Police saying one incident against her ‘appeared to be racially motivated’ assured Mercy that police were ‘intent on thoroughly investigating it’. The letter concluded that the investigating officer was responsible for advising her of progress. ‘I’ve heard nothing from him and that was dated April 4,’ she commented.

Now trying to settle into a new home and a new school, young Ian is still being plagued by nightmares. ‘He thinks they are still coming for him. I have watched my son change from a happy, carefree little boy to a frightened soul who has been traumatized by what he’s suffered. They were out to destroy Ian completely,’ said his mother. ‘The bullies told him they’d ‘finish him’. Ian himself said of the torment he suffered, ‘I was afraid.’

When he joined a local youth club, the same bullies were involved there. Letters to the head teachers at both schools and discussions with them had no results. ‘They said it was happening outside school hours so was nothing to do with them,’ reflected Mercy.

She added, ‘I feel bad. The bullies have a network – they all meet at the Mosque and work together as brothers and try to make our lives a misery. We have never been treated in this way by Scots people, only people from the Asian communities.’

She said she was speaking out because there could be other people in the Pollokshields area who are suffering in the way she and her son have suffered. ‘It is very frustrating. I thought Pollokshields would be a good place to settle down in. We are law abiding citizens. But this has completely disrupted our lives.’

Police Superintendent Mike Dean told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘Strathclyde Police is one of a number of agencies involved with MercyKamanja and her son. In April 2007 an allegation of racial abuse in respect of her son was investigated by officers from Gorbals police office and there was insufficient evidence for any charges to be made. On 23 May 2007, a further complaint regarding an assault on her son was made by Ms Kamanja and this is currently being investigated. Ms Kamanja has been visited by my diversity and Asylum Liaison Officer and advice provided.’

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘There have never been any allegations of bullying at St Albert’s School. Pollokshields Primary’s Head Teacher and staff have worked extremely hard with both boys together and with the parents individually to try to resolve the issues. Action was taken where appropriate and every possible effort was made with both families. When Ian left the school his mother made a point of saying to the Head Teacher that his removal had nothing to do with the school and she recognised and thanked them for everything they had done.’