Racism against south Asians in the UK

[ArtfulKoala]

This is a very hard thread for me to begin. I’ve been intending to do it for months but felt unable to do so. I was born in the UK but I am of south Asian origin. My parents and grandparents emigrated here. We are five generations British and counting.

I feel that racism and racial suspicion towards brown skinned people has absolutely gone off the scale since Reform gained a foothold in mainstream politics.

At first it was the little things - being subjected to an extended bag check when entering a museum when white visitors walked straight in or were casually asked to just open the large section which wasn’t really checked. This is especially the case at places like Kensington Palace and the Imperial War Museum. For reference, I am talking about a small handbag 15cm by 25cm probably smaller than their own guidelines state. At Kensington Palace, it actually got to the ridiculous stage where the checker was asking me to open more and more zipped sections down to a 5cm one until there was literally nothing left to open and she was effectively asking me to open non existent ones!
There is an incident every time we are out ( me and my teenagers). People loudly talking about us standing right next to us talking about how we are entitled just because we have been directed to the front of the queue by staff as one of us is disabled.
Yesterday, we got on a damned train with cold, vegan salads from m&s and it started immediately. A white couple complaining loudly about “the smell” when there was none because they judged us by how we look and decided our food was smelly upon that basis. Then, when the ticket inspector came round and we showed the disabled railcard, a running commentary on how we must have gamed the system to obtain that.
It is really wearing. I don’t feel like we can belong here anymore despite being educated and fully integrated here. I fully pay for private housing, healthcare and education and yet I may as well have just stepped off a small boat yesterday as far as they are concerned. I cannot fight random bigots daily when we are just trying to live our lives having low key, relaxing private family time.
It is simply fogging to get worse isn’t it? I honestly believe that Farage will be the next PM ( I am politically literate enough to gauge this for myself rather than buying into tabloid scaremongering. Zayn Malik referred to similar experiences in the song he released last week. We have similar colourings to him and never experienced racism ever before this. Perhaps they think we are Middle Eastern and are directing a particular type of hatred towards us. Perhaps it is a new racism because there were not many Middle Eastern people in the UK until recently.

I know that it is not everyone everywhere but it is now frequent enough for us to come to expect it every time we leave the house. Is this the equivalent of the Weimar Republic for the UK? Since there is no such thing as “stopping the boats” then the headlines will continue and the hatred towards brown-skinned fully fledged Brits too.

If I don’t come back to this thread immediately, it is because it is a massive thing for me to write this down and I will be reading and considering the responses.

Lack of critical thinking is missing in life generally.

I am white British and i both live and work near an area that has high levels of immigrants, particularly of pakistani or eretrian and somali heritage. I have to go through security to enter my work place and without exception none of the security officers are white or British. I am regularly treated like dirt on their shoes, looked up and down at like im scum, they very obviously make comments about me in their own languages and will make a big deal about searching my bags while waving other ( non white) colleagues through. Also when shopping in certain areas i will be the only white person and quite often the only woman there and the hostility is palpable. Again looked up and down, spitting on the floor as i walk past and complete refusal to acknowledge me when spoken to. So for those who say that racism doesn’t go both ways it absolutely does!!! Behaviour like this just gives the far right the excuse they need to cause trouble.

It wasn’t my experience to be clear, my kids’ experience has been fine. I was responding to another poster who was outraged by racism towards asians, only to say this sort of racism towards white people (which numerous posters have experienced) wasn’t the same thing.

That sort of attitude I find disgusting. We either have one set of standards for all or we don’t. If we don’t, then you can hardly blame those losing out if they feel resentful.

The Boris Wave was so unprecedented that it's changed whole communities overnight. Added to the boat crisis that two tier Keir won't deal with and it adds to a lot of tensions.

Regarding traditions being replaced etc. I work in a diverse, government funded education setting in London. It’s multi-site so employs 100s and educates 1000s. Ramadan was promoted VERY strongly this year and there was an Iftar at one of the sites, everyone invited of course. There were video displays everywhere. Easter was barely mentioned, with no video displays at all. You could argue that’s because Easter is in the school holidays, but it felt wrong to me. I don’t think religion and education should mix personally but a massive deal was made about Ramadan/Eid and zero about Easter. Christmas last year was referred to as the ‘festive period’ and our big work Xmas lunch, for the first time was not actually a Xmas dinner.

Here, we’re expected to constantly adapt while being told we should stay silent about our own culture...We’re told it’s progress but to many of us, it feels more like erasure...This is our country too and if we don’t speak up, we risk losing the very culture and values that made Britain what it is.

Out of interest, IslandVoiceUK, what are the elements of British culture that you feel that you have to be silent about? Which parts of the British culture are you afraid are being erased and that are at risk of getting lost? I would love to hear your perspective as I am white British and I don't feel this at all.

I'm not white, but I agree that British people are being made to feel small by being called colonisers, etc quite frequently. At my work place we were sent a DEI email saying if you're white, you're privilege and you should remember that when you talk to your brown skinned colleagues. I'm brown and I thought that was an utter disgrace. I also cringe when people remind modern brits who have nothing to do with slavery and the empire that they are the bad guys. And what about the job adverts where only minority ethnic group can apply? I have seen this. I'm not surprised at all why Reform is going on the rise. I wouldn't ever support it and neither would my husband, but I can understand the simmering anger.

They did. Just look harder.

LOL ok

On re-reading, I don’t think you meant to reply to me. We’re arguing the same point.

OP here. I couldn’t find my password so I’ve created another account. I have certainly read every single reply on the thread so far. The AIBU split is certainly revealing. As I said in my OP, I know that there is no obvious solution to any of this. But it is a snapshot of my experience in 2025.

Without drip feeding, I would like to share a bit more about my background. My parents are from different south Asian communities and faith groups/languages and even though this may sound strange, my mum effectively looked white while my father was more obviously south asian. While growing up, unless we were out with our dad, most people assumed that we were Greek or Italian as we have an olive skin tone. I was never subject to racism or called the P word although I heard it happen to my dad. My DH is white and my children are white passing unless they are seen out with me of course ( which they often are).

As kids ourselves, we were not accepted by either of our parents’ communities as belonging. 95% of our friends were white and yes, we had an endless number of play dates and birthdays with them. The only language I can speak is English, I am well spoken, independently educated at a school where we were in chapel half the time, where no other faiths were promoted. My literary and cultural interests and my outlook in life is entirely informed by the middle class British culture bubble in which I exist.

It was not until the small boats crisis that I experienced racism. I literally watched the men stepping out of the dinghies on the news and for the first time in my life, I noticed that the Iraqi and Syrian people looked ethnically closest to me than any other people I had seen in the UK. From around that time, I was assumed to be ‘one of them’. Even my children could be classified as Middle Eastern when they are with me because there is a huge skin/ hair colour range covered within that classification.

I live in an ethnically diverse, middle-class area of London considered affluent and I do not have any problems in my own neighbourhood. I would never live in a ‘ghetto community’ where I would not be accepted anyway. I strongly believe in the promotion of integration. We celebrate Christmas, we embrace most aspects of British culture.

The issues arise when we are out and about which we are very often. Often, it is on public transport especially on buses. If I lived in a ghetto community and pursued segregated interests then maybe I would not experience it. But for me, that would not constitute living well.

I like cultural pursuits traditionally associated with white middle class people. I am a National Trust and
HRP (historic royal palaces) member. It has reflects my very British upbringing. I know that most people visiting these places are white. It almost feels like I am being told ‘ It is suspicious that you are here at all. This experience is aimed at particular demographics so we are going to have to treat you differently in order to allow you in’.

It seems to back up the person upthread who wrote that you will never be truly British even after five generations even though that is the only culture I truly know and have fully embraced.

A red pilled type would say that I am a total casualty of the new world order- a cultural mix who has gone on to produce an even more ethnically and culturally mixed family. I’d love to ‘ go home’ ( and take my tax revenues elsewhere) but I clearly don’t have a home country or culture beyond this one.
The greatest frustration I have is with the vocal white working class UKIP types such as those I encountered on the train that day. I don’t want them to regurgitate extreme-right sound bites at me and provide a running commentary on my every action out of their bigoted little heads. I don’t have anything in common with them, they would be invisible to my white middle class friends too. Yet, my personal space is being invaded by them. I have not taken their houses, school places or healthcare - I pay for all of that myself as I said in my OP. I do not want any unnecessary communication with strangers with whom I have nothing in common so what right do they have to force it upon me?

My grandfather moved here as a GP to serve a poor, white community because they had a shortage of home grown GPs wanting to do the job. It was always about supporting their society not taking from them. Their behaviour and assumptions are really grating and widely off the mark.

To continue from my post about Ramadan vs Easter at my workplace; again it’s not a religious institution but an educational one. Shrove Tuesday, Lent etc all take place in term time, but no promotion of those significant dates and rituals. Christians fast for Lent but this was not talked about, why would it be? But why was fasting for Ramadan mentioned numerous times? I’m at work frankly, I don’t want to know. My relationship, or not, with god is private and I don’t want anyone else’s forced upon me.

The person who said they hadn’t noticed British culture being impacted; cockneys are pretty much a dying breed in London, have been for a few decades now sadly, Shakespeare has been ‘decolonised’ by his own custodian society, and halal meat is now used as standard in London’s schools and colleges, in spite of British laws around animal welfare and that halal is only supposed to be used if it’s a religious requirement.

I don't think it has anything to do with Reform. Reform is a product of the increasing appetite for a party that will be tough on immigration.

Due to the current illegal immigration crisis and rise in extremist Islam it is invariably making people more wary or in some cases plain racist.

Of course people are ignorant to assume bad things about you or view you as a foreigner just because of your skin colour, when you are born and bred here.
My best friend is a first generation immigrant from Sicily and she was called a racial slur (P word) last year! That's how ignorant some people are!

But it is a much more complex situation than people feeling embolden by Reform. I think there is a lack of cohesion within society and trust in the government. Homogeneity Statistics Statistics: Market Data Report 2025

Accurate and insightful.

I sympathise OP - even though this isn’t a daily part of my life, probably mainly because 1. my partner is white and 2. my family, friends and work life is mainly based in areas of the country that are diverse and generally liberal.

I grew up under the shadow of the National Front in Yorkshire. London was a utopia in comparison and is still comparatively liberal and diverse.

But you are right that for the reasons others have stated (political, economic etc) racism has increased again. The day after the Brexit vote I was shouted at on my way to work in central London. I mean they were white van men so you know, knuckle draggers, but still. I can’t recall this ever happening to me before in 30 years of living in London.

There are very few parts of the country I would choose to live in. There are parts of the country I will never set foot in again.

Do you realise then is mass immigration due to colonisation and the fact the west like to interfere with other countries. Many of immigrant to UK are from countries that the UK invade and colonised.

I am curious what you consider a ghetto community? I ask because I also live in an affluent part of London, however, it many respects it seems more ghetto than the poorer areas of London I have lived.

So, name changed (or a different bot?)

Where is the evidence to support that bold statement.

Factsheet: Small boat crossings since July 2022 - GOV.UK

I am not sure what is this supposed to show?

OP this stood out: 'It was not until the small boats crisis that I experienced racism. I literally watched the men stepping out of the dinghies on the news and for the first time in my life'

That is exactly what has racial tensions so high right now.

The person who said they hadn’t noticed British culture being impacted; cockneys are pretty much a dying breed in London, have been for a few decades now sadly,

As someone from a cockney family, I would say this is mainly driven by London house prices. Either people have traded in their little East London semi for a big pad somewhere else (e.g. my parents), or they've been priced out (e.g. me). You could argue this is due to immigration but I think it's actually more a result of gentrification.

Also, in terms of South Asian families integrating, I grew up in a very mixed part of London and my partner is South Asian. In my experience it was rare that parents didn't want their children hanging out with white kids. When they did it was because the family was very culturally conservative (e.g. no dating until age 18) and they worried their children would be influenced away from this. I'm not condoning this but it's not the same as just being racist towards white people.

This is true - the London house prices are killing London. Many people I know have moved to Kent and Essex.

It shows the current wave of illegal immigration is not coming from ex colonies.

You suggested immigrants from ex colonies come simply because they are ex colonial. Where is the evidence to support that? Those who enter legally are drawn to a better standard of living. Pretty sure they don't think 'let's go to England because they colonised my country 100 years ago.' Surely it would have the opposite effect?

Isn't it more likely people come to the UK illegally because we are a soft touch and they are drawn by the incentives of: Free bed and board, free food, £50 a week, free heath care, freedom to come and go as they please and the ability to earn extra by working illegally (which we are only just clamping down on)

Im fucking sick of racists. They’re everywhere currently. Insidious little creatures.
Im white btw so I won’t ever experience racism and have only ever had wonderful experiences with people of colour, but I do passionately hate racists. Stupid people whose biggest accomplishment is being exempt from racial abuse purely because they were born white. Twats.
I live on a council estate in the north west and I am always having rows with people saying racist shit or posting it in local FB groups.
Im sick to the back teeth of stupid people with stupid opinions. They’re equally as sick of me and i was called a “soft woke cunt” a few weeks ago because I don’t support reform. I’d happily put reform in a blender, turn the switch on and happily go about my business being a soft woke cunt.