<
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/09/racist-mob-menacing-refugee-children-far-right>
"This is England 2025.
It starts slowly at first, then all of a sudden it just creeps up on you.
A fortnight ago, a mob walked along one of the main streets of Faversham, the
small town in Kent where I live. They were chanting “Sieg Heil”, hanging St
George’s flags from lamp posts, and crudely daubing roundabouts and zebra
crossings with red crosses. The mob had been emboldened by Reform, and by
mainstream politicians unwilling to call them out. They are using our flag as a
symbol of prejudice to instil hate and fear – it is not jolly old bunting.
Fast forward a week, and late at night, a small group stalked the streets –
hanging up more distressed nylon and subjecting residents who objected to abuse
and threats, filming them for social media channels. The ringleader and his
followers also conducted a street patrol – making sure
his flags were not
touched. Stickers for the British National Socialist Movement, an extreme
neo-Nazi group, have materialised on the town’s postboxes and street furniture.
Residents feel they are under siege – and the atmosphere for people, especially
those of colour, in the town is like the 1970s when the National Front held
sway (I’m in my 50s so I remember that time well, and I cannot believe we are
back in this position).
The town has a small residence for unaccompanied refugee children – there has
never been any trouble – and our coastal town is proud to be a refuge for this
tiny and extremely vulnerable group of children before they are accommodated
elsewhere in the UK. In the current atmosphere – where immigration is a hot
topic – this has made us a magnet for far-right hate. Facebook posts, claiming
these youngsters have facial hair and are pushing local kids out of parks, have
gained traction.
It starts slowly at first, then all of a sudden it just creeps up on you."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
