Reports of racial abuse on British streets have flooded social media following Friday's shock referendum result, which saw just under 52% of UK voters opting to leave the European Union.
The Twitter account @PostRefRacism was set up during the course of Saturday afternoon to encourage people from ethnic minority backgrounds to report any incidents of post-Brexit racial abuse, with the hashtag #PostRefRacism taking off as EU citizens and people from Black, Middle Eastern and Asian backgrounds alike took to Twitter to share their stories.
Laurie Penny told she wasn't English, called out the #PostRefRacism explaining she was born in England #EUref https://t.co/ysogMc9MBH
@PostRefRacism Yday morning a woman called me a "dirty paki", "scum" and said "pakis need to be rounded up and shot" among other insults
In an initial post, the account's creator explains their belief that the result of the referendum has led directly to an increase in racist harassment and hate speech, with those harbouring racist views now feeling encouraged to express them publicly.
"Following the vote for Brexit we are already seeing a stark increase in racist harassment and aggression. It seems that the referendum result has validated and vindicated racist views; racist behavior is now shameless in its expression. This cannot go unchallenged."
"We must not stand by and tolerate the normalisation and mainstreaming of racism. Just because we've voted to leave the European Union DOES NOT mean there is a democratic mandate for racist harassment, aggression, intimidation or hate speech."
"This increase we are experiencing needs to be documented, and people need to feel equipped to shut down the racism they witness/experience (assuming it is safe to do so)."
So less than 20 hrs after Brexit results announced, I have the pleasure of being called "a Paki c*nt in a suit" by a homeless man.
Currently at the bus stop and a van went by with someone screaming "WHITE POWER". Hmm. #Brexit
"F*cking foreigner, go back to your country": just watched this outrageous racist incident in #Hackney https://t.co/87rqFKIhOv
@JeremyCliffe @DouglasCarswell a friend of mine got called a "Chinese bitch" and told to go back to her own country today. In N16 :(
@kayfourbee @shelleysilas @JeremyCliffe @DouglasCarswell I'm Swedish, lived and paid taxes in UK for 40 yrs. Today I was told to "go home."
Many people are claiming to have had their first ever encounters with casual racism following Friday's results.
Yesterday, a (white English) man called me a foreigner. Out loud. My first experience of casual racism in London, ever. Thanks, Brexit.
Man in Kings X station yells âBREXITâ in my south Asian friendâs face. Within 10 hours of the result I experienced 2 racialised altercations
Yesterday a pissed-up waste of carbon yelled "Brexit" in my face in Kings Cross. If you thought London was safer... https://t.co/wLxIurRG8s
Others are reporting incidents of racism being directed towards young children, both by other youngsters and even adults.
@miqdaad My 13 y/o brother had chants of "bye bye you're going home" at school today. He insisted that it was "a joke" but it worries me.
oh christ people on great portland street were chanting 'make britain white again' and I am SCARED
The Vote Leave campaign had been strongly criticised in recent weeks for its focus on immigration, with critics claiming their tactics were divisive and risked stoking racial tensions.
Nigel Farage was met with widespread condemnation in the days leading up to the referendum, after unveiling an anti-immigration poster featuring the words 'Breaking Point" emblazoned across an image of Syrian refugees. The poster was widely compared to similar images found in an anti-Semitic propaganda film produced by Nazi Germany.
Chancellor George Osborne slammed the poster as "disgusting and vile" while London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it was "troubling". Scottish MP Pete Wishard claimed it was evidence that a vote for leave had "pretty much become a vote for petty xenophobia and anti-immigrant rhetoric".
So far in Liverpool, a woman has had black cunt sprayed on her door, my dad has been asked if he has to go back home and some #PostRefRacism
2 brits waving the English flag, heared us talking in romanian and said: We voted you out. Go home, u f imigrants! #brexit #euinuk #worried
And so it begins. Just received this text from a number I don't recognise ð #PostRefRacism
In the aftermath of #Brexit, neighbours we've never spoken to before confront us with, "Do you even speak English?" #PostRefRacism
#PostRefRacism So an elderly Indian woman is yelled at to leave the country on my own street, thanks Leavers
Friday refugee British Citizen living in Oxford 15 yrs, told by colleagues in factory where he works - now you can go home #PostRefRacism
Shocking stories of physical assaults have also begun to emerge, with Twitter user Carlos uploading an image of two bloodied Polish men having been apparently beaten up by English men.
father has a broken arm, and possible neck trauma, son has severe facial fractures, broken jaw and nose. my god.
A Facebook page has also been set up, with many more users flocking to share similar stories of harassment, both online and in person.
However, many of those who have shared their experiences have found themselves the target of further abuse at the hands of online trolls.
Any incidents of racial abuse can be reported to police at report-it.org.uk, or alternatively to Stop Hate UK.
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