My best friend has been attacked today.

[Cadela]

She’s Brazilian and white, but because she has an accent whilst we were waiting for a taxi a group of very young, around 10-17 year olds white kids spat on her and started shouting fucking horrific abuse.

Police were there within a minute of our call THANK GOD and loads of people on the street stepped in to help, and if you were in Norwich today on Gentleman’s Walk. - THANK YOU for helping.

I cannot believe it has got to this point where my settled status friend is now having to give statements and recover after having a glass of wine and going home. What the fuck is this county?

I’m so sorry to hear this.

I’ve noticed that a lot of the people arrested were under 18. As a teacher I’m not at all surprised.

These stories are scaring the shit out of me. My partner is black and we have a mixed race child.
I swear I will not be responsible for my actions if I or anyone in my family encounter any of this shit.
I have spent my life working within the area of ED&I and fighting for under represented groups.
I thought we were getting somewhere, I feel utterly sickened and depressed by all this.
Please let this be a wake up call - if you are lucky enough never to have think twice about where you travel, visit or walk, or never had to wonder if not getting that job is due to the way you look, speak or your background, consider yourself bloody lucky. It’s absolutely time to make a stand, and that’s with everything, casual racism, bad or wrong terminology, micro aggressions. Go out of your way to welcome and support new work colleagues, neighbours or families in school, who are from different ethnic backgrounds. Be aware and empathetic and maybe we can beat this.

i am so sorry and this makes me feel deeply ashamed of my country. Your friend must be so shocked and shaken. I live in an area with a large Muslim population and have noticed how quiet the streets have suddenly become. Was chatting to the non-White taxi driver yesterday and he was telling me that he felt anxious and was worried about his kids encountering racial abuse. I told him that I was disgusted and shocked by everything that was going on and that the majority of white people are not like that but of course how can he, his family and all the other people who have to live their lives in this current climate know this? I would cheer to the rafters to see Farage, Tommy Robinson and Laurence Fox being made accountable for the hate they promote and foster.

I’m so sorry she experienced this

You are so condescending. Perhaps the lived experiences of the people who live in the 'deprived white majority area' is entirely different to your own, living as you do in an area with "nice" well educated people.

As of course, well educated people are automatically correct in their political leanings, and deprived white people are automatically wrong, due to them of course being uneducated.

People have a different way of seeing the world based on their goals, experiences and values. You are dismissing working class white peoples goals, experiences and values because you believe them to be racist, thick and "not nice".

You are the one who sounds not nice.

I am really sorry your friend has experienced this. It must have been really shocking for both of you. If it happens in Norwich I feel it's only a matter of time before it happens to me with my European accent, 25 years working in the Uk, employing people and paying taxes.
But surely what we need to take from this is that people were quick to intervene and confront the little twerps? Most people will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.

I’m sorry this has happened. My dd lives in the area, she is olive skinned ( We’re of Spanish descent) She has been called names in shops, before now.

Bad as it is we don't need to descend to that level.

I'd notify the local schools and send the photos to them

I’m in a mixed area in London and take public transport fairly often and all this made me think how much the bus is a group of people from anywhere or here and tension or outbreaks would make it unviable

I wonder how many passers by would have stepped in had your friend been brown?

I am so sorry for your friend. Shocking that such young kids should learn this.

My DC can't afford to buy in London - or even maybe to rent- and people are always suggesting that we move out of London. Well, this is why we don't move.

Did the police catch up with the kids? If not and you have clear photos, please do think about sending them to the local schools who may be able to identify them after the summer break.

I hope your friend recovers her equilibrium soon, it is a shocking thing to happen. I am half white, half Indian and experienced racism at school and it brings up horrible (unjustified) feelings of shame.

This is awful...Norwich is my local city and im always there....Im shocked to read this as always thought Norwich was quite a nice safe city.

That is awful OP. So sorry to hear of your poor friends plight today. What nasty people.

I'm White, and was randomly attacked by a woman {White} I'd never seen before in my life.

No one came to help -The woman was clearly a practiced brawler with mental health issues.

I was on the floor of a shop, getting stamped on and a wonderful Black British man pulled her off me.
I am forever grateful for him. 🙏

She wasn't caught.

Witnesses said ''We thought you knew each other''.... but my rescuer was man enough to walk in off the street to haul her off.

{She tried to attack him, too.}

Big disparity in age and size.

Your poor friend. I feel so angry for her, why should anyone have to put up with this?

I hope the police took all the children's names and will be dealing with them appropriately. Although what is appropriate for literal children? Doubtful that these thugs' parents will discipline them.

For the last 5 years teens in my area have been out of control. Nothing to do with riots and everything to do with a left wing education system and parents who don't parent.

Please let her know that me and the major of Britain would stand between her and those thugs in a heartbeat. I'm so sorry this happened to her. She's worth a million of them.

So if you don’t know Norwich, there is a big taxi rank literally 1 minute walk from the main police station on Bethel Street thankfully.

We met up this arvo for wine, and had gone to the taxi rank to get home. We do this once a week usually when we have time.

Stood there waiting for the taxi and chatting as you do and a kid with a mask on comes over saying you’re not fucking English. And I’m just like pardon? Then there’s immediately a gang of them and it went from being politely outraged to scared in a second.

I called 999 as soon as they surrounded us, because I honestly thought they would have a knife. Police were there so quickly!

Random passer bys came over straight away to help diffuse the situation, which we were so grateful for.

Police came, sorted everyone out and got my friend away and took a statement when she was safe. And then drove us both home. No idea what happened to the kids but I’m sure the EDP will be reporting about it at some point!

Hasn't norwich always had the reputation of being unwelcome to foreigners though?

I've had friends that have lived in Norwich at different times. And I used to go to visit them.

They described Norwich as being very inbred , and quite racist.

That was definitely the stereotype about Norwich. That it was inbred racist and didn't like foreigners.

#notallnorwich but that image of Norwich is definitely out there

Nice safe city for who?

I know people whove had racist abuse hurled at them in Norwich

Before the riots

I’m so sorry this happened to your friend.
Good you got photos and hopefully the little shits will get punished.

Oi! Check your prejudice.
#normalfornorfolk

Ive had plenty of nights out in Norwich....i shop there at least once a week...Ive never seen or heard anything nasty...I walk around at night on my own as does dd (she is at uni there) like i said ive always felt safe.