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Only English now? Racist poster on ‘Happy Brexit Day’ prompts fury
The anonymous poster under the heading ‘Happy Brexit Day’ was quickly removed but its image has been widely shared on social media. It comes in the context of a rise in racist incidents in the UK since the 2016 EU referendum.
A crudely-worded note put up inside a block of flats asking residents to speak only English now that the UK has left the European Union has prompted fury and a police investigation in the east England town of Norwich.
Residents whose mother-tongue is not English should return to their countries of origin, the poster said, insisting that people now speak only ‘Queens English’ (sic). The block of 95 flats – Winchester Tower – is managed by the local council housing people in need of accommodation.
The anonymous poster under the heading ‘Happy Brexit Day’ was quickly removed but its image has been widely shared on social media. It comes in the context of a rise in racist incidents in the UK since the 2016 EU referendum.
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“We finally have our country back”, the poster said, going on to add: “We do not tolerate people speaking other languages than English in these flats. We are now our own country again and the the Queens English is the spoken tongue here”.
It soon evoked strong reaction after its image went viral and the local press reported it prominently.
Mike Stonard, a cabinet member in the Norwich City Council, told The Eastern Daily Press: “I absolutely condemn this abhorrent poster. Whoever put it there has committed a hate crime, it is as simple as that”.
“Many people voted for Brexit for a range of different reasons however I am sure not many of them will condone this kind of thing.”
A council spokesman said: “Norwich has a proud history of being a welcoming city and we will not tolerate this behaviour. As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we reported it to the police and they are investigating. We take this very seriously”.
Television presenter Jake Humphrey tweeted an image of the poster and said: “This trending photo from a door in Norwich makes me livid & embarrassed. Norwich is the most tolerant, accepting, loving city I have ever lives in or visited. This photo in no way represents our county or city. A racist, bigoted minority will NEVER be tolerated & NEVER prevail”.
The Boris Johnson government is embarking on a ‘Global Britain’ campaign after the UK formally left the EU on Friday. A new 50 pence coin to mark Brexit day has the words: ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’.
