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Wear a safety pin to show solidarity with UK's foreign-born population
Just a quick pop-in from my self-imposed DU hiatus (my blood pressure was getting too high!) to bring a small sliver of hope and optimism. Saw this on Twitter, it seems to be getting some traction. If you think it's a good idea, maybe share it with some others?
http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/safetypin-the-simple-way-you-can-show-solidarity-with-the-uks-foreignborn-population--ZJzeRPz6kHW
One of the ugliest side effects of the UK's decision to leave the EU last week has been a sharp increase in reported hate crimes.
The majority of attacks appear to be aimed at immigrants, or people perceived to be immigrants, and are along the lines of "We voted Leave, you're going home".
Evidence of verbal and physical abuse uploaded to social media has shocked many of us - including Allison, an American woman living in London. Allison told indy100 she was dismayed by the outpouring of racist abuse following the Leave vote. But she's also come up with a clever way to tackle it.
She's started a new campaign asking people to wear an empty safety pin as a badge to symbolise solidarity against racism - and let any potential targets know that the wearer is a friendly face.
The majority of attacks appear to be aimed at immigrants, or people perceived to be immigrants, and are along the lines of "We voted Leave, you're going home".
Evidence of verbal and physical abuse uploaded to social media has shocked many of us - including Allison, an American woman living in London. Allison told indy100 she was dismayed by the outpouring of racist abuse following the Leave vote. But she's also come up with a clever way to tackle it.
She's started a new campaign asking people to wear an empty safety pin as a badge to symbolise solidarity against racism - and let any potential targets know that the wearer is a friendly face.
More at link. I really like this idea. I've now heard of four or five Americans getting shouted at (both zenophobic AND sexist comments; they were all women) in the street. So I expect I'll get it eventually. It would be nice to see someone with a safety pin in that moment and know I have a safe ally. I'll be wearing one. Will you? What do you think?
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
(a man this time, also mixed-race, told to "go back to Africa"
. There was video of the incident on the Channel 4 News. This Brexit vote has unleashed something dark and ugly that may have been there all along, but now the racists and xenophobes feel like a majority of people agree with them.
