Polish deputy PM’s sorrow over Harlow ‘race-hate killing’

Racists using the Brexit referendum result to carry out attacks are people “who come from the sewers”, a United Kingdom lawmaker said Wednesday at the site of a Polish man’s murder. Dozens of residents participated in a candlelit vigil; some held signs saying “migrants and refugees welcome here”. “We don’t want to be scared”. “I wanted to express my solidarity with the Polish people of Harlow who obviously must be feeling vulnerable at the moment”. We work, we pay tax.

“I do have a view that a very small minority – and I stress that these kinds of bad things are done by a minority – it [the vote for Brexit] is being used by people who come from the sewers who want to exploit division and have their own racist agenda. I think Harlow showed its real face today”.

Several hundred people – including Poles from across the United Kingdom – have gathered for a vigil commemorating a murdered Polish man.

Essex Police has warned against labelling the killing of Mr Jozwik as a “hate crime” but has confirmed his nationality was a line of inquiry in its investigation.

Mr Arkady Rzegocki, Poland’s recently appointed ambassador to Britain, said in an interview that he feared the decision to leave the European Union had given licence to display xenophobia, and that more minorities were being targeted.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore, of Essex Police, said while six teenagers “who were perhaps involved in that melee” had been arrested, officers believed there may have been 12 to 13 people there. They stressed there was no evidence to suggest a hate crime but it could not be ruled out.

Five 15-year-old boys and a 16-year-old who were arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on police bail until October 7.

And last week new figures showed a surge in suspected race hate crimes on United Kingdom railways since the Brexit vote.

A 43-year-old man, also from Harlow, was injured in the attack, and discharged from hospital after being treated for suspected hand fractures and bruising to his stomach.

Poland’s deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki claimed the murder would “pose a question” for many.

His brother, Mr Radoslaw Jozwik, said that his mother, who had worked alongside his brother at the meat factory, was struggling to cope with his death.