Brexit hate crime surge is not because of racism, Andre Walker says
Columnist Andre Walker said the spike was down to an “increase in reporting” and not because the British people are “evil and nasty”. Three quarters of police forces in England and Wales recorded their highest levels of hate crimes in the three months after the historic vote to Leave. More than 14,000 incidents were recorded between July and September, the highest since records began in 2012.
SKY NEWS•GETTY Andre Walker dismissed Brexit voters were "racists"
It doesn’t mean that we are all racists Andre Walker
An offence is deemed a hate crime if it is thought to be racially or religiously aggravated. Between July to September 2016, 33 of the 44 police forces in England and Wales recorded their highest levels. But, Mr Walker, a writer for the New York Observer, railed against the idea of labelling those who voted to quit the Brussels club as “racists”.
SKY NEWS The columnist made the remarks during a debate on Sky News on Wednesday
Speaking on Sky News, he said: “As a result of the Brexit referendum it is possible more and more people are coming forward to complain about hate crime - which I think is a good thing. “But this doesn’t translate into a conviction rate, it doesn’t mean that we are all racists and it certainly doesn’t mean we’re right to smirch at good, hardworking people who voted for Brexit. “I do worry that this is simply an example of the establishment rounding on people who voted for Brexit.”
SKY NEWS Mr Walker accused the establishment of trying to "smirch" Brexit voters
Mr Walker, a Eurosceptic, said he believed years of uncontrolled immigration in Britain may have also played a part in the rise of hate crime reporting. “We don’t know whether there has actually been an increase in hate crime, the police don’t know, the people reporting this don’t know. “But even if we did know, is it because the British people are all evil, nasty, racist, bigots? Or is it because there has actually been a huge increase in immigration and that has caused tensions. “We have a right to take back our democracy, we have a right to leave the European Union and if this is an attempt to derail it by the establishment, then we’ve got to blow that apart and we’ve got to say ‘that it unacceptable’.”
London Brexit protest: Thousands 'March for Europe' Sat, July 2, 2016 Brexit protest: Thousands take to London's streets in pro-EU protest 'March for Europe'. Play slideshow PA 1 of 11 Remain supporters demonstrate during the March for Europe rally in Parliament Square, London