Hate crime reports investigated in wake of Brexit result (VIDEOS)
Police are investigating a number of alarming reports of hate crimes and racial abuse in the wake of Britain’s Brexit vote.
Several people have also posted self-reported incidents on social media, prompting the emergence of new online campaigns to document the racist incidents.
Police in London confirmed Sunday they are investigating “racially-motivated” damage to a Polish cultural center in Hammersmith.
1/2 We are investigating the racially motivated criminal damage on a building in King St #Hammersmith#W6 Any witnesses & info pls call 101
— HammFul MPS (@MPSHammFul) June 26, 2016
2/2 and following the incident in King St #Hammersmith#W6 we have also increased our patrols in the area
— HammFul MPS (@MPSHammFul) June 26, 2016
This comes as Cambridgeshire Police investigate hateful notes which were allegedly posted through letterboxes of Polish residents in the UK.
Police meet with Polish community leaders after hate-fuelled leaflets are posted through doors in… https://t.co/CAxZ7yvJi2#Cambridgeshire
— CAMBRIDGESHIRE (@DailyCAMBRIDGE) June 26, 2016
Police say the leaflets, which read “Leave the EU. No more Polish vermin” were found in the town Friday.
The laminated leaflets, printed in both Polish and English, were posted through letterboxes as well as left on car windows near a school, according to the Hunts Post.
@PostRefRacism@Siegel_Jan Disgusting. And my family fought for this country in WWII... #PostRefRacism#Brexitpic.twitter.com/vgK08r66Qa
— Konrad Walewski (@KonradWalewski) June 26, 2016
Scenes of anger and hatred on Britain's streets after Brexit.
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 26, 2016
Police are investigating multiple hate crime reports.https://t.co/aijSlyL8BE
A video of an incident said to be filmed in Hackney, uploaded to YouTube, shows a driver behaving aggressively towards a minicab driver and shouting “go back to your country”.
READ MORE: ‘Good riddance’: Europeans take to Twitter, troll UK over Brexit
Others have shared online racial abuse they have received or witnessed in post-Brexit Britain.
Campaign was vile & racist. #Euref has ruined country forever- someone just even told me to "go home" I'm born in UK pic.twitter.com/ew87rShz6Q
— Shazia (@ShaziaAwan) June 24, 2016
Just a taster of the hate speech #PolesinUK have been facing from triumphant #Brexit-ers over the last 48 hours pic.twitter.com/FcLKbRqFQp
— Jakub Krupa (@JakubKrupa) June 25, 2016
This is what I was tweeting about earlier. pic.twitter.com/KEU0vIR10a
— Tahir Abass (@Taz_Abass) June 25, 2016
This evening my daughter left work in Birmingham and saw group of lads corner a Muslim girl shouting "Get out, we voted leave". Awful times
— Heaven Crawley (@heavencrawley) June 24, 2016
My girlfriend just sent me this photo from #Newcastle. Absolutely unbelievable #BrexitBritain#Brexit#EUrefpic.twitter.com/EhA96ZUHSq
— daniel watson (@DWxLW) June 25, 2016
I am so upset at hearing stories of racial abuse today, people goading foreigners that they'll be out soon. Britain is not feeling Great.
— Jamie Lee-Hill (@JamieLeeHill2) June 25, 2016
The surge in hateful comments posted online has led to the setup of a Facebook page entitled PostRef Racism, which is documenting racial abuse posted on social media.
Share your experiences of post-referendum racism, and empower others to call it out! #PostRefRacism#Brexit#EUrefpic.twitter.com/v3NIVZSgS9
— Post Ref Racism (@PostRefRacism) June 26, 2016
A Facebook group and album entitled ‘Worrying Signs’ has also been created by Sarah Childs to highlight incidents of racism and xenophobia that have happened since the EU referendum results.
READ MORE: ‘Let’s not be hasty’: Despite EU push, UK politicians say no need for quick Brexit (VIDEO)
