THE Mayor of Redditch Councillor Joe Baker has called on local community leaders to make a stand to against apparently racially motivated attacks that have takeen place across the country.
And the Labour councillor for Greenlands praised local Conservative and pro-Brexit MP Karen Lumley for speaking out against it too.
“We should take a zero tolerance approach to this sort of thing and we should be settign an example and challenging these hate crimes,” said the Mayor.
“What appears to have happened is that some people seem to think that this Brexit vote has given them a mandate to express these racist views without fear of being challenged.
“But this mandate of hate is not acceptable, it is not Redditch, we have here a rich and diverse town with a fine history of inclusion and it will not be tolerated.”
Earlier Mrs Lumley MP had condemned in the strongest possible terms a string of apparently racially motivated attacks that have taken place across the country following the Brexit vote last Thursday (June 23).
She said: “Redditch has a sizeable population of either first or subsequent generation immigrants from many countries who have arrived over a considerable number of years – including from Ireland, Pakistan, India, Poland, Romania and many other countries.
“While I voted for an exit from the EU, I most certainly did not vote for intolerance in any way, shape or form. Immigrants over the years have added immeasurably to the richness of our country and our town, and to our economy, and it is a source of utter revulsion to me to think of any of them feeling uncomfortable at this time.
“All of the reported acts about which we have heard over the last few days are outrageous and disgust me to the core, and I would like to think everyone in Redditch feels the same.
“We need time now to calm down and for the Government to consider its options in doing what the electorate have asked us to do and work out a way forward that is beneficial for all UK citizens, including those who voted to remain in the EU.”
Coun Baker said: “I congratulate our MP for coming forward and speaking out against this sort of thing.”
