Campaigners and victims are reporting a rise in racist abuse since the referendum. Has it always been there under the surface – and will this celebratory racism’ cause lasting damage?Brexit was a political earthquake,but its shocks were felt on our streets even before the polls closed. Lakshmi D’Souza felt the early fallout from the bitter battle over the EU referendum while pushing a pram through east London early on Thursday morning. D’Souza passed a woman who warned her to “be careful. A man in the street was shouting racist abuse at a shopkeeper and passersby. As D’Souza walked past with her baby son, he looked at her and spat on the floor. D’Souza says that she fears the referendum has unleashed “a frenzy of hatred”.“It takes a lot more than some idiot to bother me, or ” she says. “But the implication that this sort of behaviour will get worse because of a political decision … just blows my intellect.” Related: After a campaign scarred by bigotry,it’s become OK to be racist in Britain | Aditya Chakrabortty Related: Brexit has given voice to racism – and too many are complicit | Miqdaad Versi Related: Racist incidents feared to be linked to Brexit result Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com