A reported surge in hate crime incidents after the referendum on Britain's membership in the European Union has pushed a Twitter user to launch an initiative to try and combat post-Brexit racism.

A Twitter user known as Allison, an American living in London, has urged people to wear a safety pin to show solidarity with immigrants living in the UK.

SEE ALSO: Thousands protest Brexit in central London

The idea being that anyone against the sort of nationalistic, racist violence we've been seeing could identify themselves as a "safe" ally. — miss pommery 1926 (@cheeahs) June 26, 2016

I'd like to come up with something that can be made by anybody anywhere to pin on their jacket or coat to signify that they are an ally. — miss pommery 1926 (@cheeahs) June 26, 2016

I quite like the idea of just putting a safety pin, empty of anything else, on your coat. A literal SAFETY pin! — miss pommery 1926 (@cheeahs) June 26, 2016

The National Police Chiefs' Council said that there has been an increase of 57% in reporting of hate crime compared to this time last month.

Shortly after Allison launched the initiative, #safetypin took off on Twitter:

Wearing a #SafetyPin this morning. Solidarity with those who have made this wonderful country their home pic.twitter.com/6zx9EMTC29 — Mark Ferguson (@Markfergusonuk) June 29, 2016

I'm also wearing #safetypin to show solidarity with immigrants and EU citizens. ☺ #HopeNotHate pic.twitter.com/6CSo1cqHFh — Fuad Alakbarov (@DrAlakbarov) June 29, 2016

No piercing, so my #safetypin is going next to the other symbol of helping others - my stethoscope pic.twitter.com/u5aOhpHYWc — Dr Keith Grimes (@keithgrimes) June 29, 2016

Wearing my #safetypin today and every day until I live in a country where I don't have to anymore pic.twitter.com/3pn9vWmi8F — Janis Thomas (@JanisThomasMktg) June 29, 2016

Whole family wearing a #SafetyPin today. Together we stand against racism. pic.twitter.com/NGp45vp60S — Simon Munk (@psimonk) June 29, 2016

Good morning,dear TL...this is going so well.

You are doing something simple and good and powerful.#safetypin pic.twitter.com/L3NuRNAbD7 — Citizen G (@johannariley) June 29, 2016

Ready to be your #SafetyPin on the bus,in streets,wherever you are,my fellow foreign-born friends ❤️#LoveOverFear pic.twitter.com/4wqzMCHs2N — Dancing Psychiatrist (@Lollindialogue) June 29, 2016

However, some users, including Piers Morgan, were not convinced about the campaign:

This is utterly absurd: #safetypin — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 29, 2016

I'm not wearing a #safetypin to prove that I'm not a halfwit. — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 29, 2016

What if all the racists now start wearing a #safetypin to confuse everyone? — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 29, 2016

Other dissenting voices accused campaigners of narcissism and hypocrisy:

you'll wear a safety pin, but are you going to speak up when someone's racially attacked on a bus? — varaidzo (@veedzo) June 29, 2016

This #safetypin thing is just another reason for a load of bellends to post selfies on the Internet and make it all about them. — Conor (@Conjob123) June 29, 2016

Allison told Indy100: "I'm always having to remind people I'm an immigrant. You know, I'm white and speak English as a first language so I get a pass. They say 'oh you don't count, you're not the kind of person we're talking about."

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.