Brexit has unleashed an ugly side of Britain to the world. It has become the 60s again when immigrants were frowned upon or attacked in broad day light. Police have confirmed that there has been an upsurge in racist violence since the UK voted to leave the EU last year, by at least 41%. Immigration played a key role in the debate and some have argued that the decision to leave has given racists a boost in confidence. Since then, hundreds of hate crimes- including murder of a Polish man - have been investigated while police say many more assaults go unreported.
Asian families live in fear of what may happen tomorrow. Faith leaders have held innumerable round tables and spread message of peace and solidarity. But their prayers have fallen to deaf ears. In fact on this Saturday, between 100 and 250 far-right protesters marched through London. Clashes took place between the joint English Defence League-Britain First marchers and a larger counter-demonstration of anti-racist activists with 14 arrests made.
Enfield attack
A family who lived in Winchmore Hill, in North London, for 6 years, have faced racial comments from neighbours on and off. But on this weekend the Indian family's 9 year old boy was threatened while they were playing with friends in their home garden. The children came running to their mother, afraid for their lives. When the mother confronted the boy threatening the children, she was manhandled by 2 adults, who seemed to be the boy's parents, and shouted at the family to 'get out of their country'.
Shocked mother Poonam Joshi, who is a journalist by profession told Asian Voice, “My son has been taken to the hospital in an ambulance. He was hurt when they assaulted me, and his eye started bleeding. I have been assaulted by a couple well known in the area, who other white neighbours refuse to have any knowledge of.
"This is not the first racist attack on us, what do we do? Give in? Move into a more 'Asian' area? Or fight back? My bruises will heal but how will this country heal from the consequences of Brexit?
On a Facebook post she wrote: "These are the kind of people who are celebrating Brexit because they have nothing to lose. They have lived their lives drinking, claiming benefits because they can’t be bothered to work and their next generation will learn the same. All they understand about Brexit is to hate anyone that doesn’t belong here. They walk around drinking, taking drugs, swearing celebrating Brexit.
“Police is looking for the two people who hurt my son as he came crying towards me to help me, and they have assaulted me because I was recording their vile on my phone. They will be caught I am sure and there is no way I am moving to another area because of these bunch of losers!"
The thugs who dropped their phone in the garden, later sent some people to retrieve it, and when Poonam refused to hand over the phone (which was with the police) to them, they started getting aggressive. She had to shut the door quickly and call for police, in fear for her life.
The Met police is investigating the matter, but Poonam is not very hopeful that they will be able to successfully bring the attackers to justice.
Croydon attack
The British police is hunting eight people eho launched a vicious racist attack on a teenage Iranian-Kurdish asylum seeker in south London. The 17-year old was standing at a bus stop with friends, when a gang of men and women approached him asking where he was from. When he replied that he was asylum seeker he was chased by the gang and beaten unconscious, with repeated blow on his head and left behind with a fractured skull and a clot in his brain. His friends escaped unharmed.
Six arrests have been made as British police hunt eight people who launched the vicious racist attack.
Gavin Barwell, Croydon Central MP, described the attackers as "scum" and said they do not represent the majority of his constituents.
Cotswold Attack
A Cotswold shopkeeper of Indian origin is 'lucky to be alive' after being attacked last week with crowbars and mowed down by a car after stepping in to defend a Polish boy from racist thugs.
Amo Singh, 33, was brutally assaulted and left for dead outside his convenience shop in the trendy town of Stroud, Gloucestershire.
He intervened after seeing six boys and two girls attack a 15-year-old Eastern European boy - and armed himself with a baseball bat when they turned on him.
Amo suffered serious injuries and now on the mend. His wife Sandy called it an attempt to murder, for trying to save a boy was racially attacked by thugs.
More than £300 has been raised for him.
On train racism- towards Glasgow
Sanaa Shahid and her four-year-old son were accosted by solicitor Alexander MacKinnon as they travelled on the Glasgow-bound service from London.
The Virgin Trains guard challenged MacKinnon and eventually removed him from the train.
MacKinnon admitted the racially aggravated offence at Carlisle Magistrates Court on last Tuesday.
He was fined £1,154 and ordered to pay Mrs Shahid £50 compensation.
Mrs Shahid, who is also a lawyer, reportedly said she was targeted by MacKinnon on the 14:30 train on 29 December after he took exception to her and her son's presence in first class.
After telling her she did not belong, Mrs Shahid told MacKinnon he was a racist and began filming him.
Earlier, MacKinnon was also heard speaking on his phone, saying that it was "my word against hers".
The train guard then approached MacKinnon and told him: "It's not just your word against hers, it's mine as well because I heard it all."
The guard added: "We're not going to accept it. You're drunk and racist and you need to get off the train."
Writing on on her twitter page, Mrs Shahid said she could not speak highly enough of the train manager who helped her and her son.
She added: "Sat with us until the guy was taken off by [British Transport Police]".
Mrs Shahid also thanked the BTP and tweeted: "Thank you for the excellent support and reassurance u gave following this incident and for pursuing the matter."
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Stand Up To Racism
Stand Up To Racism initiated an emergency vigil on Sunday 2nd April in Croydon to bring together a wide spectrum of the community following a horrific attack which took place late Friday evening. The attack left a 17 year old asylum seeker fighting for his life after being chased and viciously assaulted by multiple assailants.
The vigil was well attended by community groups such as Momentum, Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC), a local refugee charity, trade unionists and faith leaders. Speakers all spoke of the need to bring the local community together after this cowardly attack, by displaying the true tolerant multicultural face of Croydon. There were a mix of homemade 'refugees welcome’ placards and others saying ‘stop racists attacks’.
Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism said; “It is shocking to think that a child has come to Britain seeking sanctuary and instead has been met with violence and intolerance.
"This has not happened in a vacuum, the Home Secretary recently celebrated the ‘hostile environment’ her government were creating for migrants and refugees.
"The government, along with sections of the media and UKIP should take some responsibility for the anti-migrant rhetoric they have whipped up, which has sowed the seeds for this kind of racist attack.
"Communities are too often being encouraged to turn on each other to explain deprivation and lack of resources but this does not benefit anyone and lets those responsible off the hook.
"More than a third of the public have been involved in showing solidarity with migrants and refugees. This is the true face of our communities which we need to draw strength from.”
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Faith represenatives prepare bespoke prayer to bring communities together
Five faith representatives (Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian) have prepared a bespoke prayer designed to work across their faiths in an effort to reassure communities as we move forward with Brexit.
As the Prime Minster triggers the official start of the Brexit process, the five representatives are encouraging their communities to love, rather than fear, the differences we find in our country.
The group, including Cllr Dhruv Patel, Founder & Director of the City Hindus Network, are urging “all communities to come together in solidarity to continue working towards a society of peace and tolerance.”
The faith representatives include:
* Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism
* Bishop Rob Wickham, Bishop of Edmonton
* Cllr Dhruv Patel, Founder & Director of the City Hindus Network
* Imam Qari Asim MBE, Leeds Makkah Mosque
* Gurinder Singh Josan, National Executive Member of Sikh Council UK
Speaking to Asian Voice, exclusively, Cllr Dhruv Patel said: “The UK faces an uncertain future and we wanted to come together as faith representatives to not let Brexit be captured by a hateful anti-immigrant minority. For me it should mean a more global rather than just continental outlook for Britain, raising the importance of how we understand different peoples.”
Gurinder Singh Josan told the newspaper: “The one thing we can be certain of with Brexit is that we don’t know what our country will look like in two years time. Uncertainty and change can be difficult for people. This prayer defines what we are trying to achieve –to encourage our communities to come together. We want Britons, no matter what their political outlook, to aim for a positive future based on shared values.”
Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner said: “We are a group of faith representatives united by our belief that diversity is good for Britain. This prayer urges us to embrace our differences, and not to fear them.”
Imam Qari Asim MBE told AV “We are all alarmed by the rise in hate crimes that we’ve seen in Britain since last year’s vote to leave the EU. As representatives of very different groups within our country, we’ve written this prayer to encourage our communities to join us in uniting against hate.”
The Prayer
“We are a nation proud of our diversity and strong values of inclusion, acceptance and tolerance. Let these values flourish as we embark upon the next stage of our journey together. Let us turn towards each other and not away from each other in times of difficulty. Let our values and our diversity continue to be a beacon of light in the post-Brexit world.
“As our great nation embarks upon a new journey outside of the European Union and begins to take its first steps towards a new future, help us to continue to build a strong, inclusive and compassionate society.
“Instill in our hearts a deep love, respect and understanding of each other, irrespective of our backgrounds, so that we may be in the strongest position to move forward into the next chapter in its history.
“At this time of difficult negotiations and decision-making for our leaders, give strength and wisdom to the authorities so that they take the steps necessary to benefit our nation.
Eternal God, we pray that You enable all communities to come together in solidarity to continue working towards a society of peace and tolerance.”
