A GERMAN supporter of Scottish independence who has been the subject of racist trolling on social media has said she is overwhelmed by the response to a post about the issue.

Franziska Feist, who lives in Berlin but has been an SNP member for five years, said she has been “openly attacked” on pro-Yes pages as “some people can't handle it that a non-Scot supports Scottish independence”.

Posting on the Hands Around Scotland Facebook page, which has nearly 16,000 members, Feist said: “Supporting Scottish independence can be really thrilling ...

The National:

“After openly attacking me on several pages, now the tactics were changed to writing me weird messages. Seems like some people can't handle it that a non-Scot supports Scottish independence. And when there is nothing left to say, they roll out the Nazi bin.

“[There are] no Nazis in my family: My grandpa fought against Franco during the Spanish civil war and was later sent to a concentration camp, lucky enough to survive but severely traumatized.

"My grandma was beaten unconscious, leaving her hearing and eyesight impaired, for giving an apple to a Jewish child.

“My great grandpa helped smuggle Jewish women and children to Scandinavia and ended up in a concentration camp. Several of my grandpa's brothers and cousins supported the resistance in France and Germany. From my mum's side no Nazis either, she is from Argentina, part indigenous, part Jewish.

“Why do I support Scottish independence? Because I want to and because I think it is okay. Every people should have the right to decide their own fate. That's it. And as said before, Scotland is really dear to me, reasons being my own. “I do not expect anything from supporting independence nor do I have any personal or political gain from it. I just do it because I think it's right.”

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Members of the Facebook group rallied round Feist to show their support. Grace McDonald said: “They should be exposed for what they are. Everyone is welcome in. Scotland.”

Mairead Tagg said: “I am so sorry that you have been attacked - I think that there has been a lot of utter nastiness in the independence movement recently - people need to remind themselves of what happened to the Labour Party through this internecine warfare. It destroyed a once great party and it will destroy us and our hopes for independence.”

Gillian Mearns agreed, saying: “Thanks for your support, it is much appreciated. They call anyone who dares to disagree with them names like that. Please don’t let them put you off supporting Scotland. One day soon I hope we’ll be able to welcome you to an independent Scotland.”

Margaret Johnstone added: “So sorry that you have been attacked in this way. I for one are proud that you came and adopted our country. These morons do not speak for the majority.

Andy Farrell said: “You’re more than welcome, as for the name calling. It says more about them, than it does about you."

Jennifer Holmes said: “Thank you for your support. Sadly, Nazi is one of their favourite insults, I was accused of being one today too. Ignore them where you can, they are a sad minority.”

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Speaking to The National, Feist said: “I was happy to see that the majority of people in Scotland are wonderful, open-minded people.

“You don’t expect anything from Tories or Unionists but I’d expect the independence movement to be more inclusive. It doesn’t hurt me personally but it hurts to see people destroying the independence movement.”

She said the trolling began after the SNP’s historic win at the Holyrood election, adding: “I posted in one of the groups congratulating Nicola Sturgeon on her re-election and someone replied ‘can’t you take care of your own country?’ and others sent me racist messages."

Feist said she became interested in Scottish culture after attending a Burns supper. She said: “I fell in love with Scotland after my English teacher sent me to a Burns Night in Berlin. It was wonderful and I made good friends. From that I slipped into loving independence.

"I started reading about Scottish history when I was 16 and I realised that even in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries other countries were meddling in Scotland’s affairs.”

She said racist comments have increased since Brexit as it “makes people feel excluded and anxious as to whether it’s a place for them”.

“It makes people feel unsafe,” Feist went on. “Fear is the thing racism stems from – people want the country to be Great Britain again and they need someone to pick on. Often they fear economic deprivation from refugees coming into the country. “People will always be scared of something new – the number of them is very small in Scotland but they are loud.”

But Feist said the SNP promotes an inclusive Scotland which attracts EU nationals to the country, concluding: “There are lots of opportunities for everyone here.

“If people actually want independence and to free Scotland from Westminster rule then how can they be so narrow minded?

“They act like Scotland has no need for anyone else. They will disturb the humanistic future for Scotland that the SNP has started with free school meals, the baby box and bikes for pupils. How can they put that in danger?”