BRIDPORT will not accept any form of discrimination.
That is the message from residents after people flooded the town’s streets on Saturday to show unity against division following the EU referendum.
Almost 200 supporters came together for the Bridport Walk Together event, marching through the town while holding umbrellas and singing European songs.
Kate Robertson, organiser for Bridport Walk Together, said: “It was a brilliant day and we were surprised by how many people turned up and it was such a positive atmosphere.
“A lot of people had said they felt uneasy about the uncertainty in the air and really unsure about what is happening in our country. It was not necessarily for people who voted to remain in the referendum. It was for everyone to come together and work towards something positive and think of ideas about moving forward.
“It proves Bridport is a terrific place and how open the people are and that they want to work towards something positive.”
The group marched with umbrellas as a sign of unity and ‘a symbol of togetherness’.
Pictures: Peter James Millson
Last week it was reported that a couple with Down’s Syndrome were accosted in Bridport and told by a man in the wake of the Leave vote that ‘We can now get rid of people like you’.
In Beaminster, police were called after a Union Jack flag was flown with "offensive wording" written on it.
The show of unity took place as it was revealed the number of people in Dorset prosecuted for hate crimes has increased.
Victims across the county have been targeted due to their race, sexuality, religion and disability - with one young woman having her headscarf torn off in an attack at a park.
Crown Prosecution Service Wessex has revealed that 112 people were prosecuted for hate crimes in the county in 2015/16 compared with 92 in 2014/15, an increase of 22 per cent. The number of convictions also increased from 81 to 89.
A spokesman for South West Dorset Multicultural Network (SWDMCN) said the group welcomed more effective action by authorities.
He added: “However the SWDMCN feel that there is still significant under reporting of these issues, in part because people may not know how to report or may not realise that it is not only victims who can report but witnesses to incidents as well.”
Ms Robertson believes it is important for rural towns to have a voice, and thinks incidents of racism and discrimination are not exclusive to big urban areas.
She added: “There are lots of people in the rural countryside and in small towns that have voices that need to be heard as well. It is not just big metropolitan areas that want to show signs of unity. We want to move forward and do things together.
Although there is not a huge variety of diverse cultures in Bridport, I have heard of small incidents where people have been discriminated against. It was a good message to send out that Bridport and all those people will not accept any sort of discrimination.”
Walk Together Dorset is planning further unity events. to show how the town feels about unity For more information visit facebook.com/walktogetherbridport
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