A racist ‘Brexit Day’ poster demanding that residents speak the “Queen’s English” has been posted on “every floor” of a Norwich tower block.
The poster, which had been put up in the communal areas of Winchester Tower block in Vauxhall Street, bears the title ‘Happy
Brexit Day’.
One resident, who photographed the poster and reported it, said he had first noticed them early on Friday morning, before they were taken down by the block’s caretaker.
The poster celebrates the return of “our great country”, and goes onto explain “one rule that needs to be made clear” – speaking English within the tower.
The anonymous author adds: “If you do want to speak whatever is the mother tongue of the country you came from then we suggest you return to that place and return your flat to the council so they can let
British people live here and we can return to what was once normality before you infected this once great country.”
The resident – who asked to remain anonymous – said the incident had been passed onto Norwich City Council, where it had been reported as a hate crime, and had also logged it with Norfolk Constabulary.
Both authorities have been contacted by HuffPost UK for a comment.
Emma Corlett, a Norfolk County Council councillor, confirmed she had been contacted by a resident with concerns about the poster, and said it had been passed on to the neighbourhood policing team.
The resident, who has lived in block for around six years, said the flats were largely populated by people aged fifty and above, and in recent years have become home to several eastern European families.
“It’s horrible, the block has always generally felt like a pretty friendly place,” the resident said, “But in recent years I’ve heard more racist things being said, I think people feel emboldened now.
“I’ve overheard people saying things like ‘it’s gotten worse since the eastern Europeans moved in’ and that sort of thing.
“It’s really worrying, because it feels like it’s only going to get worse as time goes on.” Someone I follow just shared this photo of a sign he saw attached to a front door in a block in Norwich.Brexit has encouraged and emboldened these people. It will get worse.Do whatever you can to support immigrants who face this shit. We all need to stand strong against it. pic.twitter.com/9IbB3ztOkO— Simon Price (@simon_price01) February 1, 2020A picture of the poster was reposted online publicly by another
Twitter user, where, with the official moment of the UK’s departure from the EU just hours past, it was met with horror: Whoever wrote this is too much of a coward to sign it. And there can't be any legal basis for evicting people for speaking a language they choose to speak. If this is a council owned building I think a complaint to the housing department would be in order.— Andrew Stevenson (@Andrew_Stevenso) February 1, 2020My god. I am ashamed to be British today. Thinking of all the wonderful medical staff that helped me to deliver my baby son safely. They were from everywhere - it was wonderful. I stand firmly against this xenophobic trash.— Holly Sizzo (@spookysismore) February 1, 2020“It’s scary knowing that people feel emboldened to say this kind of thing openly, knowing it’s going it’s going to be seen by some of the European residents who live here,” the resident said.
“As soon as I reported it the council took it really seriously and told me it had been reported as a hate crime.
“I’ve seen a lot of responses to the tweet picking at the grammar, calling them ‘thick’ or whatever, but it’s not about that – that’s not how we’re going to tackle this.
“You’re not going to win anyone over by correcting their spelling, there needs to be action and actual conversations going on.”
Are you a resident of Winchester Tower, or have you seen similar incidents around the official Brexit date? Please get in touch by contacting sarah.turnnidge@huffpost.com.Related... It's Done:
Britain Has Legally Left The European Union My Heart Breaks Knowing The EU Failed At Explaining Its Importance What Happens After Brexit? Here’s What It Means For The UK