Arun residents '˜concerned' about racial abuse after EU leave vote

It follows ‘concerns’ from Arun residents that discrimination reported in other parts of the country since Britain voted to leave would be repeated here.

Arun council leader Gillian Brown said: “I am aware Arun residents have voiced concerns about recent media articles reporting a rise in hate crimes, in the wake of the EU Referendum result.

“I want to reassure residents that this has not been the picture in Arun, where I have it on authority from Sussex Police there has been no rise in reported incidents of this kind.

“I wish to make it absolutely clear that, as a council, we will not tolerate discrimination of any kind.

“Everybody has the right to feel safe in their community and any kind of hate crime is wholly unacceptable, whatever the circumstances.

“Arun District Council, working together with its public sector partners including Sussex Police, has worked hard for many years to ensure that migration into the district, be it national or international, is carefully managed to maintain community cohesion.”

Both Bognor Regis and Littlehampton have large Eastern European communities.

Though Sussex Police has said there have been no reports of a rise in racial abuse, the Observer and Gazette has been told that some Polish people are considering leaving as a result of the EU vote to leave on June 23.

Last week, Bognor’s mayor Pat Dillon said he thought the town had some ‘integration issues’.

“In the context of the national picture, Arun remains a very safe place to live, work or visit,” Mrs Brown said. “This is something we are proud of and work hard to preserve.

“Arun has seen the successful integration of a wide range of migrating communities over many years and this has been achieved through education and positive engagement.”

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage

2) Like our Facebook page

3) Follow us on Twitter

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

Always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.