[Scarlett.]

Communities are “divided and bruised” after Britain’s vote to leave the European Union and racism is on the rise, a senior Labour lawmaker warned.

Schoolchildren were racially abused in a west London district this week and many in her constituency feel “vulnerable” after the Brexit referendum, Seema Malhotra, one of the main opposition party’s team of Treasury spokespeople said at an event in the capital on Saturday.

“Someone shouted: ‘Why are there only 10 white faces in this class? Why aren’t we educating the English?’” she said, citing a letter from a teacher in her electoral district about an incident on Wednesday. “Another went close up to the children and said: ‘You lot are taking all our jobs. You’re the problem. You’re taking our jobs, you’re taking our land.”’

Malhotra represents the district of Feltham and Heston in the London borough of Hounslow, which voted by 51.1% to remain in the EU. She said the teacher hadn’t heard a comment like it “in three years.” Children age six were “crying and saying they would have to leave this country,” she said.

Vote Leave, the official group that backed Brexit, explicitly targeted concerns over immigration in the referendum campaign that saw Britain vote to quit the 28-nation bloc. Boris Johnson, their leading spokesman and the favorite to succeed David Cameron as prime minister, began backing away from that message the morning after the vote.

“I was personally devastated by the result on Thursday night,” Malhotra said. “The message of community cohesion that we send at this time is absolutely vital.”

Bloomberg

[Kizzy]

And nobody was surprised, we officially are 'little britain' now.

[jennyjuniper]

This feeling that other nationalities are taking over our classrooms/jobs/country has been on the simmer for quite a few years now. Sooner or later it had to come to the boil and probably for the first time in a long while, because their vote actually acheived what they wanted, some people are voicing their opinions.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

This feeling that other nationalities are taking over our classrooms/jobs/country has been on the simmer for quite a few years now. Sooner or later it had to come to the boil and probably for the first time in a long while, because their vote actually acheived what they wanted, some people are voicing their opinions.

And how will this change?... as stated almost immediately immigration will carry on so what was the point if that's all anyone was bothered about?

[armand.kay]

A shock to the system.

[Ammi]

..sadly, racism always had to there in the first place..it couldn't 'rise' from nothing..it could only become more vocal...

[Cherie]

I think some people almost feel they have carte blanche now to voice it, scary times

[jaxie]

There is racism all over the world and sadly there have always been bigots who are ignorant and vocal about it. However that has nothing to do with the EU referendum, and while it wasn't my main personal motivation to vote leave, it is not wrong to be concerned about a lack of control over your own borders. This is something that most countries throughout the world have. This is not racist.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by jaxie

There is racism all over the world and sadly there have always been bigots who are ignorant and vocal about it. However that has nothing to do with the EU referendum, and while it wasn't my main personal motivation to vote leave, it is not wrong to be concerned about a lack of control over your own borders. This is something that most countries throughout the world have. This is not racist.

Jaxie just a quick question how will you feel if we remain in the single market and the associated continued free movement continues?

[Livia]

If people had been allowed to voice their concerns about immigration before, without everyone to the left of centre accusing them of racism and xenophobia, maybe the picture would have been different. The danger with ignoring people's concerns is that those concerns grow into problems.

And really, I'm tired of the suggestion that we are a ridiculously racist country when we are not. I hope this is a lesson learned. You have to listen to people because if you keep them down by calling them names, it just blows the situation out of all proportion.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

And nobody was surprised, we officially are 'little britain' now.

Its a Blip

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..sadly, racism always had to there in the first place..it couldn't 'rise' from nothing..it could only become more vocal...

You Are Most Wise Ammi

[bots]

I heard an interesting aside yesterday. There is an historic geographical reason why we have an issue with immigration. We are an island! We have never in our history had people able to freely cross our borders. Mainland europe, being land connected, have always had people crossing their borders, so they just don't see anything wrong with it, because its always been that way. Its a fundamental difference borne from geographical history.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

I heard an interesting aside yesterday. There is an historic geographical reason why we have an issue with immigration. We are an island! We have never in our history had people abe to freely cross our borders. Mainland europe, being land connected, have always had people crossing their borders, so they just don't see anything wrong with it, because its always been that way. Its a fundamental difference born from geographical history.

Interesting point to ponder there BOTS.

[Cherie]

The British had no problem crossing others borders themselves though

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Livia

If people had been allowed to voice their concerns about immigration before, without everyone to the left of centre accusing them of racism and xenophobia, maybe the picture would have been different. The danger with ignoring people's concerns is that those concerns grow into problems.

And really, I'm tired of the suggestion that we are a ridiculously racist country when we are not. I hope this is a lesson learned. You have to listen to people because if you keep them down by calling them names, it just blows the situation out of all proportion.

Well said Livia.

[Northern Monkey]

There are racist incidents reported every week and always have been and always will be.I think this article is quite misleading trying to blame it on the fact that we've left the EU.If you read it they've just found one racist incident and conflated it with the referendum to make a story.There always has been racism and always will be in every country.Hell i've faced it from gangs of asians and blacks on multiple occasions in the past.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Cherie

The British had no problem crossing others borders themselves though

Helpful.

We crossed lots of borders generations ago... and we're still being battered with that tired old stick.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Livia

Helpful.

We crossed lots of borders generations ago... and we're still being battered with that tired old stick.

Oh lighten up Livia

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

Helpful.

We crossed lots of borders generations ago... and we're still being battered with that tired old stick.

Thank goodness our actions didn't have any knock-on effect throughout global history that would have been rly rly bad.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Thank goodness our actions didn't have any knock-on effect throughout global history that would have been rly rly bad.

Some of those knock-on effects have been positive. And we weren't the only country to colonise, although we are, I think, the only one still beating itself up for it. And to drag this back on topic - because colonialism was never part of this conversation till Cherie dropped it in - I would wager that the vast majority of people whose areas, whose culture has suffer most from immigration made not a penny piece from colonialism.

You know the Normans virtually wiped out Anglo-Saxon culture, right? They just stormed in here and took everything. Maybe we could have someone pop on to a French forum and remind them of that.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

There are racist incidents reported every week and always have been and always will be.I think this article is quite misleading trying to blame it on the fact that we've left the EU.If you read it they've just found one racist incident and conflated it with the referendum to make a story.There always has been racism and always will be in every country.Hell i've faced it from gangs of asians and blacks on multiple occasions in the past.

Oh come on, this is a huge leap. It's just coincidence? The amount of casual racism I've heard since Friday is staggering, from people I'd never have expected it from. I've had a previously perfectly nice old gentleman start ranting about a black customer that it's because of "these Islam extremists" that Brexit is a good thing, we can "get rid of all that lot" finally. The other customer is a Christian from Africa... And genuinely one of our most laid back and friendly customers.

Just coincidence, I think not. The attitudes are clearly not new, they've been festering away in these people's grubby little heads all along, they just now feel like they have permission to pour their filth all over the streets.

As always though I'm quite happy with that. Makes it easier to know how to react to people when they're openly being scum rather than hiding it away.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Oh lighten up Livia

You want light, try chat and games.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Livia

You want light, try chat and games.

Oh come on just admit you take tongue in cheek from some members in SD more than others

[Headie]

I don't think it's "on the rise", it's always been there - but now people feel they have more of a right to air their racist views.

I doubt the fact that we've voted out the EU would make anyone suddenly become a racist - you've either always have been one and just not voiced it until now, or you aren't one. Sadly most racist groups like Britain First etc were on the leave side, so leave winning will just give them more of a platform to incite their hatred.