Growing number of people claim racist abuse after Brexit vote

A growing number of people say they have been subjected to racist abuse and told to leave the UK following Britain’s EU referendum result.

Ali Ahmed, 56, who has served on Cardiff Council for the past four years, said he was approached by a man in the Welsh capital at the weekend asking which way he had voted.

After the Labour Party member said he had backed the Remain camp, the steelworker’s son was told “we voted leave – when are you going to?”

It comes in the wake of a similar incident also involving another Remain campaigner and Muslim from Cardiff, Shazia Awan.

Mr Ali said: “I’ve lived in the UK for 41 years and in Wales for 38. I’ve never ever experienced anything like this before.

“It’s worrying to hear about the number of these kind of incidents happening across the UK since Friday’s result – and not just on Muslims, but on different nationalities.”

South Wales-born Ms Awan, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate, said she had been sent several hate messages from Twitter trolls at the weekend telling her “go back to your own country”.

She added: “This is my home and I am feeling very uncomfortable that I am now subject to this. I am not alone.”

There have also been several other reported incidents across the UK, which have seen complaints made to the police.

The workers union GMB condemned what it called a “wave of hate crime” in the aftermath of the referendum result.

Kamaljeet Jandu, GMB national equality officer, said: “”Following the Brexit vote last week, we have seen a rise in reports of racist incidents from Hammersmith to Birmingham to Barnsley. This behaviour is outrageous, out of order and entirely unacceptable.

“Those that let the genie of xenophobia and racism out of the bottle have a lot to answer for.”

Dyfed Powys Police, in south Wales, has confirmed it is investigating one incident directly linked with the referendum result.

The force also reported a 46% increase in “hate crimes” in the weeks running up to polling day.

A spokeswoman said: “We are not sure of the reasons for the increase.

“It could be more confidence to report, or it could be that such incidents have become more common.

“For example, we’ve had 47 hate incidents and crimes reported this month so far, compared to 32 reports in June last year. There are incidents recorded against race-related hate incidents, homophobic, disability and religion.”

Wiltshire Police has also said it is investigating a potentially racist attack on a Polish woman in Salisbury between 10pm and 10.30pm on Friday.

The woman, in her late 20s, was hit in the face and sustained injuries to her body after being assaulted by at least two men as she walked down an alleyway.

She was not seriously injured and did not require medical treatment but was left “shaken and frightened”, the force said.

Detective Constable Greg Fergusson, said: “We are investigating the possibility that an assault on a Polish woman in Salisbury on Friday night was racially-aggravated.

“We want to reassure the community, particularly the Polish community, that this appears to be an isolated incident and we are already following lines of inquiry to find the culprits.”

There have been increased patrols from the neighbourhood policing team to make the public feel “safe and reassured”, he said.

The suspects are described as around 5ft 10ins tall and of average build.

Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, said: “I am disturbed to see reported rises in racially-aggravated and religious incidents across the country since Friday morning.

“I am aware that Wiltshire Police is investigating a potentially racially-aggravated assault on a Polish woman in Salisbury on Friday evening.

“Some of these incidents are very serious, and suggest that there are people who feel that the result of Thursday’s vote somehow means that this is no longer criminal behaviour.

“On the contrary, in or out of Europe, they remain crimes and dealing with them effectively and robustly is a policing priority.”

However, workers at the Welsh Polish Mutual Association in Carmarthenshire were left pleasantly surprised after arriving at their headquarters in Llanelli to find a flyer pinned to the door thanking Polish people’s contribution during the Second World War.

The leaflet read: “Thanks for being here then … still glad you’re here now #PolesinUK.”

Joanna Pecherzewska told BBC Wales: “We feel more safe because of this. I think this note should be shown to people. The Polish community here works hard and we are welcome here in Llanelli.”

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