People getting racially abused because of the referendum result

[smokedout]

when put alongside this

"In the latest incident to emerge, Avon and Somerset Police appealed for witnesses after a Polish man suffered ”significant injuries“ following a racially aggravated assault by two men on the day the referendum result was announced.

The victim, in his 30s, was walking along St Michael's Avenue in Yeovil, Somerset, at about 6pm on 24 June.Two men approached him and asked if he spoke English, before repeatedly punching and kicking him. The attack continued as he lay on the floor.

He required hospital treatment for a potentially life-changing eye injury, a fractured cheekbone and substantial bruising to his body. The incident was not reported to the force until 27 June."

Its a matter of time before someone dies I feel....

On which note I heard about the Farage quote "and if people feel that voting doesnt change anything then violence is the next step" (from here The far right are coming: Brexit has helped them along – video ) - he is making a threat, but its one I totally agree with him on. It now looks like the UK wont deport those EU citizens already here. I then predict that there will be very little change to the amount of people allowed to migrate to the UK (based on current laws). Ive said it before and Ill say it again, I really fear that this will activate a wave of extremist xenophobic violence amongst those who thought that voting leave allowed for expulsion and closing borders, and they will take a position along the lines of 'if the government wont do it, we'll do it ourselves'. There should be zero surprise about this.

Sadly there are already several murders and manslaughters linked to racism every year.

I don't want to undermine this at all but I spend a lot of time looking at government statistics and how they are reported and I can't help urging some caution. The rise in racist incidents is undeniable, what evidence there is shows that clearly and the anecdotal data is pretty over-whelming. But it does seem largely to be verbal assault/alarm harassment/distress type offences.

According to the Home Office's Hate Crime statistics there were around 43,000 racially aggravated incidents reported to police in the year 2014/15, of which a third were violent and a third of those violence resulting in injury, so that's about 90 violent racist incidents a week that result in a complaint to police. Of course most won't be as serious as the one you mention, but you would probably have expected a few that were in the last two weeks even without any referendum. As I said I don't want to play down anything, I'm not suggesting there has been no rise, just that we don't really know yet whether the rise in racist incidents we can be pretty sure has taken place also represents a rise in the most serious offences.

Incidentally the British Crime Survey puts the total number of racially aggravated crimes at about 100,000 a year. This is based on a survey of 50,000 people asking whether they have been victims of crime recently, it's as good a dataset as the unemployment statistics are based on. That's 280 a day before the referendum took place, and it has risen consistently over the last five years (as have hate crimes based on religion, disability, sexuality and transgenderism). This was already clearly a problem that wasn't receiving the attention it deserves.

 

[xenon]

I remember the rotherham stuff barely raised a commemnt.

 

[J Ed]

Train passengers stand up against racial abuse of Muslim woman



edit: date is from 2015

 

[Treacle Toes]

A Polish family home was set alight and a "hate-filled" letter pushed through their door in an apparent racial hate attack, police have said.

The blaze was started deliberately in a shed close to the Plymouth house before spreading to the home, shattering windows and causing substantial damage.

Shortly after the arson attack the home owners - who originate from Poland - discovered a hate-filled letter containing further threats.

Polish family sent 'hate-filled' letter before home set alight

 

[existentialist]

This is great advice for anyone who wants to be prepared to intervene if they see racist, or any other, abuse.

View attachment 89301

Incidentally, I do have to observe that the racist assault I was involved in the aftermath of was 3 young men from an Arab state, which rather gives the lie to the assumption in that post. I think the general gist of it is still true, but if we set out to (mis-)characterise these racists as all cowards and bullies, I think we risk missing important details.

 

[existentialist]

Not as satisfying, though.

I can only speak for me, but I'd consider a confrontation avoided without the use of violence a much more satisfying outcome that twatting some (even deserving) cunt in the mush. I can go and join a karate club to do that.

Of course, sometimes the satisfaction comes from knowing you could have twatted the cunt in the mush but chose another path It all gets a bit Mister Miyagi after that...

 

[coley]

With any luck, the head teacher can explain to these "teachers" that it's not part of their job to tell lies and upset the kids.

Or better still, what a P 45 is.

 

[coley]

Not as satisfying, though.

Very true, but being done for assaulting a racist twat! Which is a very real possibility?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

tbh I've left situations in which I know the most satisfying outcome would have been me hitting them and them falling over.

I haven't done it, but I have wished I had.

 

[coley]

tbh I've left situations in which I know the most satisfying outcome would have been me hitting them and them falling over.

I haven't done it, but I have wished I had.

I have, not on a racism issue, but following a heated argument on a littering issue, came close to being charged with assault, the law is dodgy when it comes to verbal v physical

 

[Diamond]

My flatmate is a manager at a fairly prominent London steak restaurant and came back from work absolutely fuming tonight.

He had been doing back office stuff and was heading back to the restaurant when he encountered one of his waitresses who was in floods of tears.

Apparently when she had gone over to one of the tables to collect the bill, the man who paid said to her something along the lines of:

"That's the trouble with all you Poles, absolutely no personality at all. When are you going to go back?"

 

[Athos]

Very true, but being done for assaulting a racist twat! Which is a very real possibility?

A preemptive strike in defence of another is likely to be lawful if there's an honestly held and reasonable belief that it's necessary.

 

[Treacle Toes]

An Argentinian woman living in the UK was stunned when a guard at Canterbury Cathedral told her: “Dover’s that way, love.”

Mortified leaders at the cathedral have apologised to Silvina Fairbrass, 33, over the guard’s remark, which was made just days after the EU referendum .

Cathedral guard 'told foreign woman "Dover's that way" days after Brexit vote

 

[Treacle Toes]

Polish family sent 'hate-filled' letter before home set alight

Polish family in Plymouth terrorised by racist arsonists

 

[Anju]

Incidentally, I do have to observe that the racist assault I was involved in the aftermath of was 3 young men from an Arab state, which rather gives the lie to the assumption in that post. I think the general gist of it is still true, but if we set out to (mis-)characterise these racists as all cowards and bullies, I think we risk missing important details.

Yes, there are any number of possibilities and approaches to take. Having an idea of what to do just helps you be more confident and intervene that bit quicker.

 

[treelover]

Some really nasty stuff happening, but the reports keep getting repeated on here and elsewhere so its difficult to ascertain what is new.

 

[J Ed]

Cathedral guard 'told foreign woman "Dover's that way" days after Brexit vote

There have been a few examples in the Spanish media of people saying that they are scared now to speak Spanish in public in Britain.

 

[bimble]

A little roundup up of the stats on reported incidents in guardian today;
Police report 42% rise in hate incidents in fortnight around EU referendum
It says "The most offences, some 289, were recorded on 25 June, the first full day after the result of the vote in favour of Brexit was announced."
Also says that 'Police believe just one in four incidents are reported to them.'

 

[NoBystander]

This does seem likely considering the reference to an obscure conservative think tank. Doesn't really help the cause of anti-racism for newspapers to be manufacturing controversies where none exist. Especially since there are probably quite a few examples of actual racism occurring.

Looks like Pole on Pole but an attack on an obscure conservative think tank at this time might be connected to Brexit. If someone had daubed fuck you CCHQ on a Tory social club the media wouldnt be making the same assumptions. They wouldnt even be sure if it was an attack from a defeated Remainer or a taunt from a victorious Leaver. Some real reporting would have to happen.

The neoliberal wing of the Remain campaign did well to restrict criticism of Brexit to shouting RACIST!!1! There has been no serious debate about economic or social policy for decades and we may not get one now. No need for well meaning liberals to step outside their comfort zone or even change the record. Rich mans burden.

 

[Treacle Toes]

Shop owner describes arson attack at eastern European store in Magdalen Street, Norwich

 

[krink]

Some of you already know I'm from Sunderland (or Brexit central as it is now known) and on Sunday a woman had her veil ripped off her face and abuse shouted at her here in the shopping centre in town. The woman ran off terrified but the bloke was confronted by other shoppers and some workers from a shop and eventually the twat was arrested. It's heartening to know that after my town was vilified for being big brexit supporters, we have shown that actually, no, we're not a bunch of racist knuckledraggers. The condemnation of this piece of shit has been widespread over the town and the only support he has had is from the local edl/nf/infidels group. The woman who was attacked has lived here 30 years and knowing her fellow makems were responsible for intervening and getting her attacker arrested might be at least a small comfort to her.

 

[existentialist]

Some of you already know I'm from Sunderland (or Brexit central as it is now known) and on Sunday a woman had her veil ripped off her face and abuse shouted at her here in the shopping centre in town. The woman ran off terrified but the bloke was confronted by other shoppers and some workers from a shop and eventually the twat was arrested. It's heartening to know that after my town was vilified for being big brexit supporters, we have shown that actually, no, we're not a bunch of racist knuckledraggers. The condemnation of this piece of shit has been widespread over the town and the only support he has had is from the local edl/nf/infidels group. The woman who was attacked has lived here 30 years and knowing her fellow makems were responsible for intervening and getting her attacker arrested might be at least a small comfort to her.

Hopefully more than a small comfort. It feels almost ironic, but my sense is that overt public intolerance of this kind of behaviour carries much more weight than the behaviour itself. I'm very encouraged to see and hear stories of situations where people haven't just waited by for someone else to take action (or maybe they have!), but have stepped in instead, and to great effect. I hope it gathers momentum - it's probably our only hope to avoid a spiral down towards xenophobia and isolationism.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Had my first experience of post-Brexit open racism on the street today. 3 kids (20ish?) wolf whistling a young woman for her heinous crime of being blonde and in gym clothes, she said something back which gave away she was Polish and they started saying crap like "Dover's that way" and "we voted slags like you to leave".

I pretended to know her (said something like "hiya, sorry I took so long, big queue in the chippy") and she got the hint, played along and we walked away together. Dickheads weren't interested in carrying on or starting a fight with me (nor I them for that matter), it was all just a laugh to them.

I'm angry, really fucking angry. How have we got to the point where their cheap laugh means more to them than this poor woman's entire sense of wellbeing and security in what is now her home country? And how is it right that she or anyone else should need an escort from a white, English man just to walk across a fucking car park in a fucking shopping centre?

I've known it was happening, heard first and second hand accounts and seen the footage across mainstream and social media, but it doesn't half hit home when it's right there in front of you. Fuck knows what it must feel like to be the subject of such mindless hatred.

I've always been quite passive about my politics and activism - well intentioned but uninvolved. No more, i'm angry and I want in - what do I do? To paraphrase a bunch of cunts, I want my country back.

 

[ska invita]

Had my first experience of post-Brexit open racism on the street today. 3 kids (20ish?) wolf whistling a young woman for her heinous crime of being blonde and in gym clothes, she said something back which gave away she was Polish and they started saying crap like "Dover's that way" and "we voted slags like you to leave".

I pretended to know her (said something like "hiya, sorry I took so long, big queue in the chippy") and she got the hint, played along and we walked away together. Dickheads weren't interested in carrying on or starting a fight with me (nor I them for that matter), it was all just a laugh to them.

I'm angry, really fucking angry. How have we got to the point where their cheap laugh means more to them than this poor woman's entire sense of wellbeing and security in what is now her home country? And how is it right that she or anyone else should need an escort from a white, English man just to walk across a fucking car park in a fucking shopping centre?

I've known it was happening, heard first and second hand accounts and seen the footage across mainstream and social media, but it doesn't half hit home when it's right there in front of you. Fuck knows what it must feel like to be the subject of such mindless hatred.

I've always been quite passive about my politics and activism - well intentioned but uninvolved. No more, i'm angry and I want in - what do I do? To paraphrase a bunch of cunts, I want my country back.

out of interest zapp what was her reaction once you walked off, do you reckon?

 

[Anju]

How have we got to the point where their cheap laugh means more to them than this poor woman's entire sense of wellbeing and security in what is now her home country? And how is it right that she or anyone else should need an escort from a white, English man just to walk across a fucking car park in a fucking shopping centre?


I've always been quite passive about my politics and activism - well intentioned but uninvolved. No more, i'm angry and I want in - what do I do? To paraphrase a bunch of cunts, I want my country back.

Yes, the casual thoughtless way people are doing this is worrying. Does it mean they don't understand the impact or are people seeing themselves as superior and therefore don't care.

There are already things being organised. Currently a UK movement for Black Lives Matter, but hopefully any momentum gathered can be used to start addressing our own problems.

Great that you stepped in, assuming it was not Kif, and you just stepped in at the end.

 

[Anju]

Not really on topic but if anyone is in London these are the rough details for Black Lives Matter things happening tomorrow onwards plus a couple of pics from today. Only a couple of hundred people but I think it was only organised today.

 

[Libertad]

Had my first experience of post-Brexit open racism on the street today. 3 kids (20ish?) wolf whistling a young woman for her heinous crime of being blonde and in gym clothes, she said something back which gave away she was Polish and they started saying crap like "Dover's that way" and "we voted slags like you to leave".

I pretended to know her (said something like "hiya, sorry I took so long, big queue in the chippy") and she got the hint, played along and we walked away together. Dickheads weren't interested in carrying on or starting a fight with me (nor I them for that matter), it was all just a laugh to them.

I'm angry, really fucking angry. How have we got to the point where their cheap laugh means more to them than this poor woman's entire sense of wellbeing and security in what is now her home country? And how is it right that she or anyone else should need an escort from a white, English man just to walk across a fucking car park in a fucking shopping centre?

I've known it was happening, heard first and second hand accounts and seen the footage across mainstream and social media, but it doesn't half hit home when it's right there in front of you. Fuck knows what it must feel like to be the subject of such mindless hatred.

I've always been quite passive about my politics and activism - well intentioned but uninvolved. No more, i'm angry and I want in - what do I do? To paraphrase a bunch of cunts, I want my country back.

Fair play to you, respect due.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

out of interest zapp what was her reaction once you walked off, do you reckon?

She was visibly shaken up by it, said it was the first time anything had been said directly at her. What struck me was that she asked how many people were thinking anti-Polish or anti-foreigner thoughts even if they don't say them out loud - that's one lasting effect, she'll be much slower to trust any English stranger from this point forward.

I hope she'll take some comfort from knowing that some people are prepared to speak up, but it's a pretty shitty state of affairs when she or any other foreigner will be thinking of people in terms of which side they're on.

 

[Pickman's model]

Yes, the casual thoughtless way people are doing this is worrying. Does it mean they don't understand the impact or are people seeing themselves as superior and therefore don't care.

There are already things being organised. Currently a UK movement for Black Lives Matter, but hopefully any momentum gathered can be used to start addressing our own problems.

Great that you stepped in, assuming it was not Kif, and you just stepped in at the end.

Tbh blm is addressing our own problems

 

[existentialist]

I've always been quite passive about my politics and activism - well intentioned but uninvolved. No more, i'm angry and I want in - what do I do? To paraphrase a bunch of cunts, I want my country back.

Yeah, me too - on all counts.

As for what do you do? Personally, I think the answer is to be doing exactly what you did - intervene, non-violently, and then make sure people know about it afterwards. That might fly in the face of our traditional British reticence (on both counts - "getting involved" and "talking about it"), but I think the poison of intolerance and hate thrives where people are reticent to say "enough". Those kids were probably not even aware of the harm they were doing, and it was all just a bit of a larf - all the more reason that such behaviour needs to be challenged there and then, on the spot.

Which you did. Nice one.