Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN has demanded British authorities investigate the increasing number of xenophobic attacks against Spaniards in the UK following last year’s Brexit vote.
Figures suggest that since the last June’s referendum, xenophobic attacks on those perceived to be from abroad or speaking foreign languages have grown.
Tomas Gil, a 27-year-old from Valencia, was talking to his girlfriend in Spanish after a night out in Poole, near Bournemouth, when he was attacked by a thug.
When Daniel Way overheard the pair, he tore a plank of wood off a building and smashed it into the Spaniard’s face shouting: “F***ing Spanish, Speak English”.
The incident was caught on CCTV and was widely reported, leading to Way being prosecuted.
Podemos have sinced tabled a parliamentary question to the government asking for information on how many xenophobic attacks have been reported by Spaniards in the UK and what is being done to tackle the growing numbers.
Spain’s government said: “We have sent details of specific cases of which we are aware to the UK’s Foreign Office and Home Office and have requested an investigation”.
Spain’s Embassy in London has a statement on its website for those Spaniards who suffer aggressive incidents or attacks.
It reads: “The Spanish Embassy in London and its consulates in London and Edinburgh have been aware of various incidents and attacks that have affected Spanish citizens residing or passing through the United Kingdom.
“For this reason, it is advisable to report to the British police and to inform the Embassy and Consulates of any incident or aggression, so that it is possible to give the necessary attention to the victims and their families and to carry out the appropriate follow-up with the British authorities.”
Almost 5,500 racially or religiously motivated offences were reported to police in the month after the Brexit vote on June 23 last year.
Is this a joke? How about the hundreds of ex Pats and tourists attacked and injured by Spanish nationals every year in Spain! Another Anti Brexit scare!
If I had read this article a year ago, my first instinct would have been to dismiss it as political angling or an exaggeration to make some sort of point.
That all changed when we drove our Spanish registered car back to the UK recently. It is not the first time we have done this but it is the first time we have had verbal abuse. Because I have dark hair, people thought I was Spanish and I was called a ‘stupid deigo’ and subjected to aggressive gesturing in a supermarket car park, people sneered at us at traffic lights, stared into the car etc., it was very hostile indeed, we have never experienced anything like this before in the UK and it was not a isolated incident. Admittedly this was in Essex and other places nearer London were better but nonetheless, it was a very marked change and shows the direction of travel in the UK.
We keep a car in the UK too so we swapped cars and what a difference in attitude.
My sympathies go to all those foreigners in the UK who have to suffer this abuse. If it doesn’t improve or it gets any worse, they won’t have any foreign people left to abuse.
Racist, drunkard and hooligan. Typically british.
Yuck
Nice xenophobic comment OP … I don’t condone this ugly incident but the facts do not match the headline as the incident took place 2 months brfore the Brexit vote … poor research or biased journalism only stirs up hatred.
idiot
This clearly is not the Olive press. Another hack or appropriation of name?
nothing to do with brexit, plus the spanish can be very racist also.
And that justifies the attack?
Why has my comment not been posted…!!!!….???????….!!!!!…??????
The Olive Press are not responsible and do not moderate individual comments before they are posted. Anyone who uses racist, sexist, homophobic or xenophobic language or hate speech will be blocked. ….
this is written by the olive press…!!!!
OP 16 May, 2017 @ 18:52 at 18:52
Racist, drunkard and hooligan. Typically british.
Yuck
Reply
this is written by the olive press…!!!!!
comments regarding this discusting comment by the OP are not being published……thats even more discusting than the comment…..i will copy this and send it to EWN and the simpley media group for them to comment if not published in one hour ….time now 11.45
Its a hack – not the real OP.
it is still xenophobic and crap reporting from a crop reporter…..they are only publishing comments that suit there own interests
Stop moaning, as$hole
The only reason your comments get in Jack, is to give everyone a laugh at your ludicrous, poorly spelt, over-emphasised, misplaced, mistaken rants. Now you are trying ransomware, blackmail tactics in order to get posted..
How could you possibly be stupid enough to believe that vicious, xenophobic comment was issued by The Olive Press?
and all that from an idiot….how funny
some they publish some they dont…..its whatever suits them
My comment has gone missing too.
Ad much as I hate such attacks I’d like to say that the Spanish police are absolutely useless at dealing with complaints from any foreigner. As soon as they hear your accent, thry demand your passport even though you are the victim making a complaint. If they turn up at.
And I’ll probably be fined now for disrespecting the police under the draconian gag law in Spain, just for saying this.
Racism is TOTALLY unacceptable, wherever it occurs. But it seems that the Olive Press do not help matters by incorrectly reporting incidents which in turn promotes racism, as can be seen by a number of the comments above.
this is supposed to be a paper that is aimed at ENGLISH speaking……..this crap reporter is obviously anti British…..do not bite the hand that feeds you….you can be strangled with the very same hand…!!!!
English speaking who live in…Spain, you as$.
Go back to the stinky island , loser.
and you point is………..you need to improve YOUR English….if it was not for us Brits you would still be a third world country……it has improved now us Brits are here but the local inhabitants are still evidently backward
The problem is you brits are a burden for the sistema de salud and the taxpayer.
Not to mention your poor contribution to the economy, inability to learn the language and inability to integrate into the local society.
So, yes, maybe the best option is to go back to lttle britain
Taking in account the picture above, the continuous riots, hooliganism, political assassinations, etc, we can say Britain is a 3rd world country no doubts.
pleblo…you certainly have nothing to contribute….a backward Argie comparing him self to nothing….scourge of the earth
Eat your own hand then, you Turk ;-)