Glasgow Girl Roza Salih was stalked and suffers racist attacks online

The 33-year-old, who lives in the Southside, travelled with her parents from Kurdistan to Scotland when she was just 12 before being elected as an SNP councillor last year.

Now she has spoken to the Glasgow Times about being forced to call the police after being harassed and targeted online because she is "an ethnic minority woman".

Brave Roza is determined to call out the behaviour to protect other people facing the same abuse.

Roza Salih with her parents (Image: free)

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She said: “People target me because I am an ethnic minority woman, it is not acceptable.

“They call me an illegal immigrant and often send me a lot of racist abuse, but I try to not let them get to me.

“I have had to go to the police in the past because the abuse got so bad, I actually had a stalker.

“It was really scary. I had never experienced anything like that before, it was awful.

“One man kept messaging me saying he knew where I lived and threatened to come to my door.

“He wouldn’t stop so I had to take action and the police took care of it in 2021.

“I want to call out the behaviour because staying silent won't change anything and I want to make a difference.”

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We previously reported how as a teenager Roza worked with a group of girls from Drumchapel High School to stop the Home Office from deporting their friend and became known as one of the “Glasgow Girls”.

The group went on to stop dawn raids by the UK Border Agency and later lobbied the Scottish Government on the issue of unlawful child detention.

The girls’ story later became a theatre production, travelling across Scotland.

Roza has since continued to fight injustice, becoming involved in Unite and campaigning for a fairer immigration system.

Now the SNP councillor fears other young people may avoid politics after seeing the abuse she is faced with.

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She explained: “I worry that young people might see the way I get treated and it could put them off going into politics.

“I can stick up for myself, but other people might not be able to, and we shouldn’t have to.

“It’s not an easy or glamorous job, but I do it because I really care about the community, and I was the best for it.

“Some people don’t want me to represent them just because I look different, other white councillors don’t get the same level of abuse.

“It can affect my mental health when I get a lot of abuse, but it makes me feel better when I see other people come to my defence and stand behind me.

“It gives me a boost and reminds me I won’t stay silent, and they can’t keep me down.”

If you have been affected by racism you can contact Score Scotland charity on 0131 442 2341 or info@scorescotland.org.uk for support.

You can also contact Police Scotland to report attacks and or threats.