4 years ago today, I stayed up all night. I didn't believe the exit polls. I knew Brexit would have it. But I wanted to be wrong. I watched every result come in. I wasn't allowed to vote. But I knew it had and would continue to have a major effect on my life. And it got worse.
As the day progressed, it became clear that a lot of people thought they were now justified to be openly racist.
That day, I was told to go home, my car was damaged, I had a note through the letterbox, emails asking when I'd move away & my home marked.
Hate ruled that day. 😔💔
That day, I was told to go home, my car was damaged, I had a note through the letterbox, emails asking when I'd move away & my home marked.
Hate ruled that day. 😔💔
"We won! Pack your bags or we'll pack them for you!"
"Get out of my country!"
"You don't belong here!"
"This is not your home anymore!"
"Go back to where you came from!"
"Leave or we'll make you!"
"You're not welcome here!"
"British jobs for British people!"
They celebrated hate.
"Get out of my country!"
"You don't belong here!"
"This is not your home anymore!"
"Go back to where you came from!"
"Leave or we'll make you!"
"You're not welcome here!"
"British jobs for British people!"
They celebrated hate.
They had won, yet instead of being happy they were angry and full of hate. People who the day before were neighbours or colleagues, who'd greet you on the street, would suddenly stare silently at you. Friends said "you know I didn't mean you, but we have to look out for our own".
Sitting in the living room, suddenly heard loud banging on the door, accompanied by threatening shouting.
When I called the police and they came by, the first thing they asked me is where I was born and what nationality I held. Followed by "what did you do to upset them?".
🤔😔
When I called the police and they came by, the first thing they asked me is where I was born and what nationality I held. Followed by "what did you do to upset them?".
🤔😔
Later that day, I went to my post office as I had done countless times before.
When I started asking for stamps, I was shoved from behind and told to get out of there, and again their beloved "we won!"
I was lucky.
A friend ended up with a black eye, another one a broken nose.😔
When I started asking for stamps, I was shoved from behind and told to get out of there, and again their beloved "we won!"
I was lucky.
A friend ended up with a black eye, another one a broken nose.😔
That day was one of the worst ones in my life for how I was treated by others.
And if you read in the news that there was a spike in reported hate crimes, please remember that behind each reported hate crime were many more hidden ones. And every one of them involved people.
And if you read in the news that there was a spike in reported hate crimes, please remember that behind each reported hate crime were many more hidden ones. And every one of them involved people.
And the sad thing is that in the 4 years since that hate hasn't gone away. It's become even more acceptable.
And the Westminster government has joined in and made it one of their main policies. Welcome to their hostile environment. Where we champion xenophobia and encourage hate.
And the Westminster government has joined in and made it one of their main policies. Welcome to their hostile environment. Where we champion xenophobia and encourage hate.
And if you feel bored or have some spare time, you can read my rambling thread about the impact of that brexit vote on me here:
Seeing that a few people asked: the above happened in England.
I live in Scotland now & was in the process of moving here. I enquired about the place I'm living in now at the end of May 2016 and was busy packing when the EU ref took place.
I couldn't wait to move to Scotland 💙🏴
I live in Scotland now & was in the process of moving here. I enquired about the place I'm living in now at the end of May 2016 and was busy packing when the EU ref took place.
I couldn't wait to move to Scotland 💙🏴
And I have experienced as good as no xenophobia at all since moving to Scotland 4 years ago. It's like I was suddenly living in a completely different country, that is welcoming and friendly. Worlds apart! 🙂💙🏴
Please do read my other thread I started yesterday, to understand more about the impacts. In my head the two threads belong together, but I forgot to link them.
