An ‘abhorrent’ and racist note has been pinned up in a block of flats in Norwich titled ‘Happy Brexit Day’.
After Britain’s official departure from the EU on Friday, January 31, one resident in the block of flats apparently left a note to their fellow residents stating they didn’t tolerate people ‘speaking any other language but English’ in the flats.
The block consists of 95 flats, and – as with countless blocks of flats up and down the country – houses many people from different countries.
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, 2020
The vile note, which was reportedly put on every floor of the building, read:
As we finally have our great country back we feel there is one rule to that needs to be made clear to Winchester Tower residents.
We do not tolerate people speaking other languages than English in the flats.
We are now our own country again and the the [sic] Queens English is the spoken tongue here.
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 was normality before you infected this once great island.
The disgusting A4 letter went on to say people should ‘obey the majority or leave’, and suggested the Government will implement rules that will ‘put British first’.
A few people speculating that this is fake. Nope. The guy who tweeted it has a locked account, and only sent it in reply to someone he was chatting with. A lot of trouble to go to, and he's really not the type. He wasn't looking for shares or retweets, but I happened to spot it.
— Simon Price (@simon_price01) February 1, 2020
While the notes were swiftly removed, a photograph of it has been circulated on social media, and it’s safe to say people aren’t happy.
TV presenter Jake Humphrey tweeted:
This trending photo from a door in Norwich makes me livid & embarrassed. Norwich is the most tolerant, accepting, loving city I have ever lived in or visited. This photo in no way represents our county or city. A racist, bigoted minority will NEVER be tolerated & NEVER prevail.
This trending photo from a door in Norwich makes me livid & embarrassed.
Norwich is the most tolerant, accepting, loving city I have ever lived in or visited.
This photo in no way represents our county or city. A racist, bigoted minority will NEVER be tolerated & NEVER prevail. pic.twitter.com/9De3s8g17d
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) February 1, 2020
According to Eastern Daily Press, both the police and city council have been informed of the note.
A spokesperson for Norwich City Council, which manages the block of flats, said:
Norwich has a proud history of being a welcoming city and we will not tolerate this behaviour. As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we reported it to the police and they are investigating. We take this very seriously and urge residents to contact us or the police if they have any concerns.
As soon as we became aware of this incident, we reported
it to @NorfolkPolice and they are investigating.We take this very seriously and encourage residents to
contact us or the police if they have any concerns. 2/2— Norwich City Council (@NorwichCC) February 1, 2020
Mike Stonard, a council cabinet member for the city, said:
I absolutely condemn this abhorrent poster. Whoever put it there has committed a hate crime, it is as simple as that. Many people voted for Brexit for a range of different reasons however I am sure not many of them will condone this kind of thing.
With the police investigating the case, we certainly hope the racist person behind the note is found soon.
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Niamh Shackleton is a pint sized person and journalist at UNILAD. After studying Multimedia Journalism at the University of Salford, she did a year at Caters News Agency as a features writer in Birmingham before deciding that Manchester is (arguably) one of the best places in the world, and therefore moved back up north. She’s also UNILAD’s unofficial crazy animal lady.