Children devastated as Christmas show cancelled over 'racist comments'

Parents and children say they are devastated their school's Christmas show was cancelled after receiving "racist and abusive" online messages.

Cauldeen Primary in Inverness planned to stage a musical written nine years ago that included a scene telling the story of refugee children caught up in the Syrian conflict.

Highland Council said "racist and abusive" messages were posted on social media - some of them directed at the school and staff.

Pupil Marco, who is 10 and was due to play an elf, said: "You can't describe it, it's racist comments, I'm devastated." He added: "All this practice is in the bin."

The show's cancellation follows recent protests in Inverness after an announcement of UK government plans to use a city army barracks to house asylum seekers.

Highland Council said the online abuse had been reported to police.

"Following negative feedback on social media, including racist and abusive messages - some of which were directed at the school and staff - the school has made the wellbeing of staff and pupils its main priority," a spokesperson said.

"Instead of a Christmas show, classes will enjoy other festive learning activities in school.

"Under devolved school management, decisions like this are an operational matter for the school."

Police Scotland said it received a report of threatening and abusive communications online on Friday morning.

"Inquiries are ongoing," a spokesperson added.

The incident was first reported by the Press and Journal newspaper.

Marco said he was nervous at first about playing one of nine elves.

"I was looking forward to watching my friends play their parts and speaking," he added.

His mum Annika Kesamaa, 42, said the cancellation came as a shock.

"All the kids were preparing for months on end and working really, really hard, taking the scripts home to practice their parts," she said.

"They were really, really excited."

She added: "It's the one time in the year they do something for the parents - to show what they have done and learned."

Another parent, Chloe Manson, 30, said the school's Christmas fair was also cancelled because of the alarm caused by the comments.

She said the play explored different Christmases, including those experienced by children who were in hospital, or had parents working away from home, or were refugees.

"There is war, there are bombings, there all these things going on," she said.

"Just because it's not happening here doesn't mean we shouldn't learn about it."

The Christmas show was based on Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, a play created in 2016 by Edgy Productions, an education organisation which produces scripts and music for schools and youth theatre groups.

The plot tells of three of Santa's helpers working in a new "hi-tech set up" at the North Pole.

In part of the story Santa shows two youngsters the hardships faced by a group of refugee children.

Edgy Productions said it was "shocked and saddened" to hear that the school and staff were targeted with abuse.

A spokesperson said the musical's themes were tolerance, friendship and peace.

They said: "The musical production in question was written and published in 2016, and contains a single scene and song about refugees caught up in the Syrian conflict and encamped on the Turkey-Syria border.

"This was international headline news at the time and the world's sympathies were with those refugees.

"If some people have mistakenly inferred that this children's production has any content about the migrant situation which has sparked debate in the UK some nine years later, then their reaction is misplaced."

The incident comes against the backdrop of a row over the UK government's plans to use Inverness's Cameron Barracks as asylum seeker accommodation.

The Home Office has proposed housing about 300 men at the military site, near Inverness city centre, over 12 months.

Demonstrations have taken place in Inverness in support of asylum seekers, and opposing the plans.

The Highland region has previously housed people from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Syria under resettlement schemes.

Council education chairman and Highland independent councillor John Finlayson said the abuse had affected the health and wellbeing of school staff and undermined the "ethos of the school in the lead up to Christmas".

"It is unfortunate that the decision has been taken to cancel the planned nativity play, but school staff are best placed to make such decisions," he added.

"They know best the impact the actions on social media will have on the wider school community and I am sure parents and guardians will offer their support at this difficult time."

Inverness SNP councillor Jackie Hendry said offensive and abusive remarks targeted at schools and their staff was unacceptable.

She added: "Christmas is about hope and giving and I think this is what the production was all about."

Angus MacDonald, Liberal Democrat MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, said he was saddened that staff had been subjected to racist abuse, and the school has felt it necessary to cancel the production.

"I hope that the kids will have a chance to show off their talents in one form or another," he added.

"Here in Inverness, the community has been so welcoming to families from countries like Ukraine and Afghanistan.

"All of those posting appalling abuse online need to take a long hard look at themselves. I hope the police will be pursuing this shocking behaviour with urgency."