Cardinal Vincent Nichols condemns 'upsurge' of racism and hatred in Brexit aftermath

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, added his voice in condemning the "upsurge" of racism and hatred that followed the Brexit vote and said this must not be tolerated.

According to Catholic Herald, Nichols released a statement Tuesday, June 28 to denounce the explosion of xenophobia in the streets of United Kingdom almost as soon as the country announced it would be leaving the world's largest economic power, the European Union, as a result of an EU Referendum held June 24.

"This upsurge of racism, of hatred towards others is something we must not tolerate," said Nichols on the incidences of racism being experienced in the streets.

"We have to say this is simply not acceptable in a humane society and it should never be provoked or promoted," he added.

Nichols also issued a warning to the country's parliamentarians who are leading the country in the face of financial and political turmoil as a result of the Brexit vote.

"If a victory in a referendum remains a point of division, then we become weaker and weaker as a nation," he said.

Nichols added that such division would only hinder the U.K. from playing any significant role in the international scene as global problems remain "great and challenging."

Baroness Warsi, former chairwoman of the Conservative Party, blamed the leaders of the Leave campaign for causing a divisive and xenophobic campaign and urged them to "make people from all backgrounds feel like they belong."

On Saturday afternoon, broadcaster and historian David Olusoga posted a photo on Twitter of National Front demonstrators in Newcastle holding a banner which read, "Stop immigration, start repatriation."

"My home town of Newcastle," wrote Olusoga as caption. "This afternoon. I feel like I am back in the 1980s."

"I've never had a day of so many people telling me to go back to Africa," Olusaga told The Telegraph.

On Sunday morning, Metropolitan Police said they're investigating on an "alleged racially motivated criminal damage" to a Polish cultural center building.

The Associated Press also reported on a Facebook group "Worrying Signs" that collected stories and photos of racial intolerance, including "sinister graffiti and broken windows."

Immigrants and people of various foreign lineage – Eastern Europeans, Muslims, Americans, Germans, etc. – also told AP of being harassed or intimidated in the streets, of dog feces shoved through a family's mailbox, and even of a man wearing a T-Shirt bearing a message that encapsulated the current atmosphere, "YES! WE WON! NOW SEND THEM BACK."