Racist letters tell minorities in UK to 'go home'

LONDON

Black, Asian, and minority residents of the city of York, northeast England got racist letters saying that in the wake of Brexit, “foreigners” should leave, as “we won’t be happy until” they do.

The suggestively threatening postal letters came to light on Twitter Thursday, when Bangladeshi journalist and human rights activist William Gomes posted an image of one saying: “We have won Brexit[.] Its [sic] time for you to go back to wherever you come from. We don’t need foregneirs [sic] taking out housing out jobs our gp places. We wont [sic] be happy until our people leave our country[.]”

Gomes later tweeted that on Wednesday, North Yorkshire Police were informed of the incident.

“I hope the victim receives the assistance they require and that the situation is thoroughly investigated,” he added.

The journalist and activist also tagged a number of local politicians, thanking local councillor Derek Wann, who belongs to the Liberal Democrats, for his “prompt response and interventions.”

He also tagged Julian Sturdy, asking the local Conservative MP for the region since 2010 to offer appropriate support to his constituents.

In 2019, London’s Old Bailey court sentenced white supremacist David Parnham to 12 years in prison for sending out “Punish a Muslim Day” letters to mosques and high-profile figures in Britain, encouraging violence against followers of Islam, including verbal abuse, removing women’s hijabs or headscarves, physical assault, or using acid.