Stockton immigrant says she's been racially abused since EU vote
The mam, who wanted to remain anonymous, says she now crosses the street to avoid people for fear of verbal abuse.
A Stockton immigrant claims she's seen an increase in racial abuse and discrimination since the Brexit vote three weeks ago.
The mam, who wants to remain anonymous, says she can't understand why people are so angry at her.
She said: "There has been so much anger since last week.
"It makes me scared when I go out now so I cross the road when people are coming because someone started to swear at me for no reason, when I was on my own.
"What have I done?
"I never, ever experienced anything like this when I lived in London, and I have mostly felt safe here since I moved but in this last week so many people have been angry, so, so angry.
"On the bus a lady said 'tell your child to shut up' he just likes singing and laughing, he's not hurting anyone and a man at the other end of the bus said 'shut up Bob Marley' to me because of my hair, I think.
"People think it's okay to be angry at me now, it's scary, especially when I have my son with me.
"I am too scared to go to the police, it's better for me to stay quiet and not cause any trouble."
It's as figures show there were more than 3000 reports of hate crime in the last two weeks of June, an increase of 42% on the year before.
Within the last week Hartlepool has been at the centre of the issues.
A 19-year-old man was racially abused while riding his bike on on Freemantle Grove on Saturday.
Earlier that week over 30 fascist stickers appeared around the town, some calling for 'white only' areas.
Leader of the council Christopher Akers-Belcher put a “Statement of Unity Against Racism and Religious Prejudice” and it was passed unanimously.
Speaking to TFM, he said the EU referendum had 'normalised' racist and Islamophobic behaviour.
He said: "Members of the public have rightly voiced their concerns and we must do everything possible to tackle this intolerance.
“Hartlepool is proud to be – and must continue to be - a diverse, tolerant and inclusive town - a place where people of different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds live and work together to build communities, deliver services and improve each other’s lives.
“Sadly, this is a matter that is not confined to Hartlepool and it reflects the extremely difficult and complex national situation that we face amid the EU referendum result, the horrific murder of MP Jo Cox and continued international terrorism.”
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Iain Spittal said: “I fully support the stance articulated by Councillor Akers-Belcher. Cleveland Police does not tolerate hate crime.
"I would like to reassure the local community of Hartlepool that we would encourage anyone who experiences hate crime to report it.
"Anyone with information regarding the stickers should either contact us or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”