With sectarian graffiti on the rise in Glasgow, a charity wants to get creative in tackling the issue

Striking murals are set to appear across Glasgow as a charity looks to tackle offensive graffiti.

Last November, it was reported that incidents of sectarian graffiti in the city had more than doubled compared to the previous 12 months.

Examples highlighted by the media included abuse being sprayed on the St Aloysius College building in Garnethill and daubed on a wall outside Ibrox Stadium.

Now Nil by Mouth has come up with a plan to counter the problem whilst also tapping into the city’s growing mural tourist trail.

The charity is seeking to work with Glasgow City Council to install public artwork promoting strong anti-sectarian messages and the city’s diversity.

Under the plans, local artists and schools would be given use of publicly owned buildings and spaces to create murals highlighting the positive relationships in the city between people from different religious and cultural backgrounds as well as producing thought provoking artwork aimed at making people consider the impact of sectarian attitudes on society.

The idea comes just weeks after east-end artist Kelly Coyle won a competition ran by the charity which will see her portrait Torn displayed in the city’s St Mungo Museum over the next 12 months.

Kelly grew up in the Gallowgate and Bridgeton areas of the city and used her experiences to shape the piece. It highlights a young boy being pulled in different directions by those eager to claim him as their own with little thought to the child’s right to choose his own path in life.

Nil by Mouth campaign director Dave Scott said: “We’ve been dismayed in recent months with the number of incidents of sectarian graffiti being reported with abuse being directed toward both Catholics and Protestants on walls and shopfronts in prominent parts of the city.

“We don’t want people, especially tourists, to think that this moronic minority speak for the rest of us. Huge strides have been made in tackling sectarianism in Glasgow over the past two decades and this is the message we should be sending to the world.”