The Independent has today highlighted a serious racially aggravated assault against a Polish man in Leeds which took place last Friday. The assault was alleged to have been conducted by 20 young people and points towards a hate crime.

Furthermore, the Polish Embassy put out the following statement on Twitter, stating:

“The assault in Leeds has been the most serious of over 10 xenophobic incidents experienced by Poles in the north of England that the Consulate General in Manchester dealt with in the recent months. The Consular section of the Polish Embassy in London offered assistance in a further 17 cases in the South and in the Midlands.”

We must not forget that the xenophobia whipped up pre-Brexit by some campaigners against Eastern European communities was significant. Whether that has influenced the minds of the young perpetrators, we may never know, but it certainly has not helped race and community relations in the United Kingdom. At this time, we must all show our support to these communities when they are also being targeted for hatred and prejudice.

We stand with members of the Polish and other Eastern European communities who provide so much to this country and who work diligently day and night and whose efforts support us all. If they are attacked, then we should see this as an attack on all of us and against the pluralism that makes our country so unique.