Race hate attacks in Fife and Tayside have rocketed according to figures obtained by GMB.
Dunfermline saw the biggest increase, with 106 incidents over the past 12 months – a rise of 26 per cent compared to the year before.
Racist attacks in Perth increased by 20 per cent, with last year’s total of 55 rising to 66.
In Dundee, there were 135 incidents recorded by the Procurator Fiscal Service, which was an increase of six per cent on the previous year.
There were nearly as many attacks in Kirkcaldy, despite the town’s smaller population. At 130, the figure was up four per cent.
The GMB trade union said the statistics overturned the perception that racism is an English problem.
Annette Drylie, GMB Scotland’s Fife Council branch secretary Annette Drylie, described the situation as “horrifying”.
She said: “All right thinking members of the community must do what they can to end this menace.
“I fear there is a belief that racist attacks don’t happen in Scotland but this highlights that more needs to be done by everyone.
“GMB works hard to battle racism and discrimination in all their forms, but following this shocking news it’s clear we must redouble our efforts.”
GMB Scotland senior organiser Tony Dowling said: “These troubling figures show racism is alive and kicking in Scotland and should act as a wake up call to anyone who thinks this is just a problem south of the border.
“Racist crimes are a scourge on our society that must be stamped out. There is no room for complacency. Discrimination in any form is completely unacceptable.
“Our members must be able to work and go about their daily lives without fear of racist attack.”
Nicola Hay, from Show Racism the Red Card, said she had been on the receiving end of racism while running youth workshops.
She said her South African accent led to young people accusing her of being in Scotland for “gyro, housing and healthcare”.
Ms Hay said: “It is deeply worrying that young people hold these views, and it is even more worrying that very little appears to be happening to address it.
“Moreover, while Scotland is wonderfully progressive in a lot of ways, there appears to be a belief that racism only happens South of the border.
“This is problematic, as it takes away from the deeply troubling and psychologically disturbing challenges that ethnic minority community members have to face on a day to day basis.
“What we need is more education, so as to address the misinformation that young people are being fed from a number of damaging and divisive sources.”
