Bristol resident challenges racism by offering roses to immigrants after EU referendum

Roses in a bucketTwitter/@policytessa

A florist selling roses outside a shop in Bristol is attempting to challenge the racism people have reported since the UK voted to quit the EU.

Since the news broke that the leave vote had won a majority, people have been sharing their experiences on social media using #postrefracism.

In one case, cards containing the words "No more Polish Vermin" were found after being distributed in Huntingdon.

Now, an unknown person in Bristol is offering flowers to immigrants.

Suzanne Rolt tweeted a picture of the bucket, saying: "I just love Bristol and this is why. My walk down Gloucester Road has brightened my day."

The anonymous person has put a tub of flowers on the street, with a label reading: "If you are an immigrant to the UK please take a rose.

"And remember 62% of Bristolians voted to stay in the EU."

Tessa Coombes also shared a photograph of the roses, saying: "Gloucester Road #bristol responding to #brexit in their own way - to be applauded."

Although there appear to be more incidents of racism in recent days, it is not clear whether there has been an actual increase since the referendum, or people are just reporting it more.

Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yarldey, tweeted: "I will be putting in a parliamentary question to find out all incidents of racial hatred in the UK this weekend compared with last week."

Former Conservative parliamentary candidate Shazia Awan worked for the Stronger In campaign in Wales.

She says she noticed a number of incidents of anti-foreign sentiment.

"When the Leave campaign focussed on the issue of immigration a few weeks before the result, I could feel the difference in how people were acting," she said.

"While I was campaigning, I was speaking to a black woman. A white man walked passed and called her the N word."

If you've witnessed hate crime, call the police on 101 or report it to Stop Hate Crime.

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