Is Britain A Racist Country?

[Angela Channing]

A few years ago I would have answered this question with an emphatic no but recently I'm beginning to doubt if I am right about this.

Almost every day I read in the newspaper a story about a racist attack, for example, like many people, I was shocked and appalled about the recent story that made headlines of a black university student having to stay in her locked while fellow students shouted racist abuse at her.

Then there was the case of Paul Moore who was recently convicted of attempted murder for deliberately driving his car into a Muslim woman and a 12 year old schoolgirl because he thought he was "doing the country a favour" by running over a "p*ki".

In the past week 5 Muslim MPs have received letters containing a suspicious powder and the message "Punish A Muslim".

A personal experience: as I was leaving Tescos earlier today, I heard a WhatsApp notification on my phone so I stopped briefly in the doorway to move my adjust my bags so I could take the phone out of my pocket. In doing so I blocked the door, so I accept I was in the wrong but I didn't expect someone to push me out the way shouting "move it you f*****g black c**t". This was the second time I experienced racist abuse in the past year and although that may not sound like a lot, I previously hadn't experienced it for about 20 years.

I do believe people who previously had latent racist views have been emboldened to express their opinions more openly by the Brexit vote and sadly Britain seems to be a more racist country as a result.

 

[ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989]

As a person of colour I think there are racist elements, I am of mixed origin (white british/turkish) and alot of the racism I have encountered has been from other people of colour, mainly from the black community; I have been called "half-caste" which is an offensive terminology to mixed heritage folk, I have had racism from white people but its few and far between from both sides generally.

I try not to buy into the popular narrative in saying that only white people can be racist because of my personal experiences, I think certain there are racist elements but its no where near as bad as a America.

On the Brexit vote, it did bring out racists no two ways about that, most of my family did vote leave but certainly not for racist or hateful feelings, it was more to do with the fact that the EU isn't a socialist dream but a neoliberal nightmare, and was also a two fingers up to Westminster.

 

[Angela Channing]

England manager Gareth Southgate says England still has a “disgusting” racism problem that needs addressing before pointing the finger at World Cup hosts Russia. Fears have been raised over the prospect of England players and fans suffering racist abuse at this summer’s World Cup. But the England manager on Thursday laid bare the scale of racism his players still face in their own country and believes that is currently a bigger concern than what may or may not happen in Russia.

England still has a 'disgusting' racism problem that needs addressing, says Gareth Southgate

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Thought of this thread when I read this article about Brexit-related growth in racism.

I recall there was a spike in reported hate crimes immediately following the EU Referendum result - and I mean within hours. It saddens and sickens me to think that this has been sustained.