Hate crimes soar since UK’s EU exit vote

Hate crime rates in the United Kingdom have surged five-fold following Britain’s last week referendum to break away from the European Union (EU).

According to Press TV, the UK’s National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) says it has registered a staggering 500-percent increase in hate crime incidents, with over 330 cases compared to the weekly average of 63.

The NPCC says most cases are related to anti-immigrant abuses. The UK police say in just one week, migrants have been reporting verbal abuse, negative social media commentary including xenophobic language, anti-migrant leafleting and, in very limited numbers, physical assaults.

However, NPCC Chief Sara Thornton says it is hard to tell how many of such cases are directly linked to the Brexit vote.

The official added she was “shocked and disgusted” by the uptick in such attacks, urging the victims of abuse to come forward and not “suffer in silence.”

The latest news comes amid reports that violence against Muslims in the UK has also risen dramatically in the past year. Experts believe the media have played an important role in depicting a negative picture of Muslims.

The reports have raised concerns about rising levels of violence and intolerance against minority groups in the country.

ME