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| Cameron condemns post-Brexit xenophobic and racist abuse | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Cameron has condemned xenophobic abuse after the EU referendum amid a growing chorus of concern over intolerance and hostility. | |
| The prime minister told the cabinet the government “will not tolerate intolerance” and it condemned “some of the incidents we have seen across the country over the weekend of intimidating migrants and telling them that they need to go home”. | |
| His comments came as the mayor of London and the UK’s biggest Muslim organisation spoke out against a spike in racist abuse in the aftermath of the EU referendum. | |
| The Polish embassy in the UK said it was shocked at incidents of xenophobic abuse directed at members of its community in the past few days, and the Board of Deputies of British Jews said it was alarmed by reports of harassment and abuse. | |
| Sadiq Khan, who was elected mayor of London last month, said he had put the capital’s police on alert for racially motivated incidents. “It’s really important we stand guard against any rise in hate crimes or abuse by those who might use last week’s referendum as cover to seek to divide us,” he said. | |
| “I’ve asked our police to be extra vigilant for any rise in cases of hate crime, and I’m calling on all Londoners to pull together and rally behind this great city.” | |
| The Metropolitan police promised to investigate any reports of hate crime and abuse. | |
| Khan also warned against the demonisation of people who voted to leave the EU, saying: “It’s also crucial that we don’t demonise the 1.5 million people in London who voted for Brexit. While I and millions of others disagreed with their decision, they took it for a variety of reasons and this shouldn’t be used to accuse them of being xenophobic or racist. We must respect their decision and work together now to get the best deal for London.” | |
| The Muslim Council of Britain urged political and civic leaders to heal divisions exposed by last week’s vote. It said: “In the past few days, we have witnessed shocking manifestations of hate speech not only online but also on our streets.” | The Muslim Council of Britain urged political and civic leaders to heal divisions exposed by last week’s vote. It said: “In the past few days, we have witnessed shocking manifestations of hate speech not only online but also on our streets.” |
| The umbrella organisation has compiled a dossier of 100 reported racist and Islamophobic incidents since the result of the referendum was announced on Friday. | The umbrella organisation has compiled a dossier of 100 reported racist and Islamophobic incidents since the result of the referendum was announced on Friday. |
| Related: Racist incidents feared to be linked to Brexit result | Related: Racist incidents feared to be linked to Brexit result |
| It had logged “many reports of Muslims and others being taunted with ‘go back home!’ or similar sentiments”. | It had logged “many reports of Muslims and others being taunted with ‘go back home!’ or similar sentiments”. |
| The warnings came as a man was charged with two racially aggravated public order offences after the far-right English Defence League protested outside a mosque in Birmingham at the weekend. | The warnings came as a man was charged with two racially aggravated public order offences after the far-right English Defence League protested outside a mosque in Birmingham at the weekend. |
| Thomas Johnson, 30, was also charged with two counts of threatening behaviour and obstructing a police officer. He was due to appear before Birmingham magistrates on Monday. | Thomas Johnson, 30, was also charged with two counts of threatening behaviour and obstructing a police officer. He was due to appear before Birmingham magistrates on Monday. |
| Police seized a banner with an allegedly offensive slogan as about 30 people protested outside the mosque. | Police seized a banner with an allegedly offensive slogan as about 30 people protested outside the mosque. |
| After a spate of alleged xenophobic incidents over the weekend, the Polish embassy issued a statement expressing its shock and deep concern. | After a spate of alleged xenophobic incidents over the weekend, the Polish embassy issued a statement expressing its shock and deep concern. |
| Reported incidents included graffiti sprayed on to the walls of a west London Polish community centre and cards reading “no more Polish vermin” posted through letterboxes. | Reported incidents included graffiti sprayed on to the walls of a west London Polish community centre and cards reading “no more Polish vermin” posted through letterboxes. |
| The embassy said: “We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed at the Polish community and other UK residents of migrant heritage. The Polish embassy is in contact with relevant institutions, and local police are investigating the two most widely reported cases, in Hammersmith, London, and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. | The embassy said: “We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed at the Polish community and other UK residents of migrant heritage. The Polish embassy is in contact with relevant institutions, and local police are investigating the two most widely reported cases, in Hammersmith, London, and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. |
| “At the same time we would like to thank for all the messages of support and solidarity for the Polish community expressed by the British public.” | “At the same time we would like to thank for all the messages of support and solidarity for the Polish community expressed by the British public.” |
| Shuja Shafi, the MCB’s secretary general, said: “As the results of the referendum became known, I called for our politicians to come together and heal the divisions that have emerged as a result of the campaign. Now we are witnessing the shocking extent of this with reports around the country of hate speech and minorities being targeted. | Shuja Shafi, the MCB’s secretary general, said: “As the results of the referendum became known, I called for our politicians to come together and heal the divisions that have emerged as a result of the campaign. Now we are witnessing the shocking extent of this with reports around the country of hate speech and minorities being targeted. |
| “We need leadership now more than ever before. Our country is experiencing a political crisis which, I fear, threatens the social peace. Whatever differences we may have, it is vitally important that we demonstrate solidarity for those attacked, and state, in the words of the murdered MP Jo Cox, that ‘we have far more in common than which divides us’.” | “We need leadership now more than ever before. Our country is experiencing a political crisis which, I fear, threatens the social peace. Whatever differences we may have, it is vitally important that we demonstrate solidarity for those attacked, and state, in the words of the murdered MP Jo Cox, that ‘we have far more in common than which divides us’.” |
| The MCB said it was writing to the home secretary to demand tightened security measures, and to the communities secretary to urge measures to counter cross-community division. | The MCB said it was writing to the home secretary to demand tightened security measures, and to the communities secretary to urge measures to counter cross-community division. |
| Among the incidents reported on social media and logged by the MCB were people being called “foreigner” or racist epithets and being told to “go home”. | Among the incidents reported on social media and logged by the MCB were people being called “foreigner” or racist epithets and being told to “go home”. |
| Some Twitter users reported incidents of racist abuse under the hashtag #PostRefRacism. | Some Twitter users reported incidents of racist abuse under the hashtag #PostRefRacism. |
| Speaking for the Board of Deputies, Gillian Merron said: “It is important during these times of political uncertainty in our country to ensure that nobody feels vulnerable and threatened. Everyone, including European Union citizens and other minorities resident in the UK, has the right to security and protection from hate speech. | |
| “The Jewish community knows all too well these feelings of vulnerability and will not remain silent in the face of a reported rise in racially motivated harassment.” | |
| Boris Johnson, who spearheaded the leave campaign and is the frontrunner to succeed Cameron, sought on Monday to reassure Europeans living in Britain. | |
| “I’ve seen a lot of confusion over the weekend about the status of people living in this country. It’s absolutely clear that people from other European Union countries who are living here have their rights protected. All that people want to see is a system that’s fair, impartial and humane to all people coming from around the world,” he said. | “I’ve seen a lot of confusion over the weekend about the status of people living in this country. It’s absolutely clear that people from other European Union countries who are living here have their rights protected. All that people want to see is a system that’s fair, impartial and humane to all people coming from around the world,” he said. |
| “And also, obviously people from the UK living abroad, living in the rest of the EU, will also have their rights completely protected. I just worry there’s been a certain amount of confusion in the media over the last 24 hours.” | “And also, obviously people from the UK living abroad, living in the rest of the EU, will also have their rights completely protected. I just worry there’s been a certain amount of confusion in the media over the last 24 hours.” |
| Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, said: “London is a diverse, global city where people from many different backgrounds live and work side-by-side in safety. That hasn’t changed in the past few days, but if people do have any concerns they should let the police know. We will investigate vigorously any reports of crime motivated by hatred.” | Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, said: “London is a diverse, global city where people from many different backgrounds live and work side-by-side in safety. That hasn’t changed in the past few days, but if people do have any concerns they should let the police know. We will investigate vigorously any reports of crime motivated by hatred.” |