Do Europeans hate the Brits?

[Floofydawg]

We're in Spain at the minute and have encountered some pretty hostile behaviour. Not so much from the Spanish, as we speak the language, but from other Europeans. We've been coming here many years and I've never before encountered such hostility. It got me thinking, do many Europeans dislike the Brits?

Well it works both ways I guess. Being an English speaking foreigner myself having lived here for over 20 years I get almost daily passive aggressive comments and discriminatory comments and behaviour. Generally there are always people who don't like you if you aren't as they perceive local.

You clearly know very little about Northern Ireland judging by that statement. Legally you can identify as either British or Irish and hold whichever passport you choose, or both if you’re feeling fancy.

Fair...You're not wrong there. Went to a wedding in Scotland last year and the vitriol sprouted against the English was quite disgusting...bearing in mind that the bride was born and brought up in England and many of the guests were English.
Husband and I are not English but it is some of the worst racism I've ever come across... and I've travelled and lived across quite a few cultures across the world.

Also, it's not actually an achievement to be born a popular nationality. It's not anything you've done.

Agree that people finding out you're Scottish/Welsh/Irish seems to increase their warmness by quite a bit. I have an English husband but I'm Scottish, and when we go abroad he is treated totally politely, but when I say I'm Scottish, the reception is much more enthusiastic and with a warmth to it. He asked me once why we kept getting extra drinks in restaurants There seems to be a real fondness for Scottish people (and I imagine Irish and Welsh) in Europe.

I remember being on holiday in Paris as a kid. Some man heard my mum and I speaking English and said something derogatory in French about English people. Unfortunately for him my mum was a fluent French speaker and laid into him with both barrels. When he learned we were Scottish he was full-on apologetic.

They don't slag the English off. There's just a perceptible switch in tone when they realise we're Irish. More friendly and accommodating.

You're the one casting allegations of racist hostility without anything to back it up. I'm just wondering if you're the problem here, because otherwise it's just a goady post stirring up the usual Poor English Victim narrative.

Yes this is true, Irish and can confirm I have had the same experience

You're speaking like you're saying something that we don't know happens.

We all know that happens.

Encountered a lot of open hostility in mainland Greece a few years ago but that's the only time I've noticed it. I believe the islands are supposed to be rather more pleasant, though I'm not particularly interested in finding out. The only country I've ever thoroughly disliked.

I definitely find that as soon as you make any attempt whatsoever to speak the local language- even if you can literally only say hello and than you- people are always really nice. The only place I’ve ever felt any hostility was in Cyprus.

And yes it's not they they're hostile when they think we are English at all, but more that them finding out we (or I at least) are Scottish seems to unlock an extra level of warmth and hospitality.

So far this year we’ve been to France (twice), Denmark, Belgium and Gran Canaria. We have not encountered any hostility whatsoever.

I haven't experienced it myself
Due to my job I work closely with a lot of people who have moved to england for work and in general they are a bit baffled by us and specifically Brexit

Iv always been treat really well abroad by the locals and never received and hostility

I love Scottish people.

But just to point out,

The Scottish people had a big part in invading and colonising Ireland in history,

yet the Irish always seem to forget that part...

Very true.

(I also speak French and Spanish).

Yes, the Scots in particular were very enthusiastic about the British empire, and disproportionately involved at all levels of the imperial project, especially as merchants and colonial administrators.

So anyone who is cold towards someone they assume to be English, but magically breaks into a big smile on hearing they are Scottish, clearly hasn't got a clue about history. And is also very rude.

It's a shame that individual people are being rude and hostile to other individual people. But it's hardly surprising that 'Europeans' as a whole might be a tad pissed off with Brits given the absolute nasty, vile anti European rhetoric the tories and right wing media have been pumping out for years. We can read you know.

I'm English and have never had any problems. Always welcomed enthusiastically.

Greeks are some of the kindest people around however iv only done islands never mainland

Not necessarily. You may be British if you're from NI. However, you may be Irish if you're from NI. You can also be both Irish and British if you're from NI. The wonders of the GFA.

How strange to read comments on here that posters seem to feel justified in their xenophobia because of historical events. As many have said all countries colonised, many committed terrible acts of war but you wouldn't loathe a German because of ww2 it is just crazy to even think the potato famine justifies a loathing of Brits today.

We must judge people of their actions today and yes whole I agree louts must be a pita perhaps lout magnets like Magaluf could take some responsibility and stop 24/7 bars and clubs with all the bargain booze.

We were in Crete a long time ago. Went into a shop to buy something. Got a shrug (unfriendly) from the shopkeeper/assistant when we asked where the eggs were. Well, we found them! When we went to pay, the fellow behind the counter, asked (not in a pleasant way) if we were German? We said we were Irish, and immediately he became gushingly friendly. I must admit I wasn’t very friendly back as I thought he was horrible to us for no reason at all when he thought we were Germans. No one is responsible for where they are born.

We were mostly asked if we were German on that holiday. I was asked once or twice (small town in Crete) if I was English, though. They were very friendly about it.

So, the conclusion of that anecdote (in the places I went on that one trip) is that they weren’t as unfriendly to what they thought were English people as they were to what they thought were Germans.

My DH was on a flight to Barcelona last week and had to put up with what he described as a feral bunch of dickheads on a stag do. Food fight on the plane, tanked up etc. That kind of Brit needs taking round the back and doing in, frankly. Would do the world a favour. They're obnoxious, uncultured arseholes and they DO give us a bad name.