Eastern European people living in Greater Manchester say they have suffered racist abuse in the wake of Britain’s Brexit decision - and fear for their future in the country.
People from Poland, the Czech Republic and other nations who live and work in the region fear an uncertain future after voters decided to quit the EU.
Many are worried about how the move would impact on their status in the country - with some believing they may be deported or lose their jobs.
Others reported hostility and abuse in the street following Thursday’s referendum result. In one case, members of the Polish community said abuse was hurled at them by pub goers in Eccles , Salford , who shouted ‘go home, go home’.
It comes after racist graffiti was smeared on the Polish and Social Cultural Association building in Hammersmith, London.
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Part-time shop worker Gaba Purchlka, 28, who lives in Swinton, fears the government could make it ‘very difficult’ for her to stay.
The mum-of-one said: “I thought the British would not want to leave. I was surprised.
“I don’t think they will force me to leave but they could make it more difficult for me to stay.
She continued: “I have lived here for 10 years and I have not been back to Poland for six years.
“I don’t see my future in Poland. If I do have to leave then I won’t go back to Poland. I will find another country to live. I don’t have any family there. Here is my everything.”
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Czech national Eva Dunova, 34, from Eccles, said the local economy would suffer if too many immigrants leave.
She said: “The embassy in England are telling us not to worry about things and it will stay the same as before and we can travel in and out of the country.
“But everybody is scared about what’s happened. I have got a big family of about 100 people who have lived here for about 20 years and I’ve been here for 13 years.
“A lot of people living and working around here are immigrants and if we go then the economy would go down. We do so many jobs and put in so many hours.”
Olga Kizizaniak, 30, owner of chain of Polski Sklep on Lee Road in Oldham , said the Polish community are now ‘terrified’.
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She said: “They haven’t got anything at home to go back to. They don’t know if their children will be able to go to school here, they don’t know yet what are the requirements.
“There is a lot of fear because British passports are expensive. If people come here with their whole family - two adults, two children - working on a minimum age they won’t be able to afford passing tests and the passports.”
Tomasz Tekieli, 27, who lives in Oldham and is originally from Poland, said he doesn’t know what his future holds.
He said: “It is not good. I don’t know if I will leave yet. People are now treating the Polish community differently.”
And Amin Mohsin, 46, who has run the Polish shop Pol Mart in Eccles for six years, said people are ‘very upset and angry’ by Brexit.
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He said: “A lot of people round here said the vote to leave Europe is racist. It’s like a bomb has gone off. I never thought it would happen.
“People here don’t know what to do now. Some have stayed at home for the last two days and haven’t come out. They are watching television trying to find out what’s going on.
“People were shouting at a pub last night ‘go home go home’. That’s why people don’t go out too as they don’t feel safe.
“We were surprised and confused by the result and why people would want us to leave the EU.
“My business has gone down by 50 per cent. We have lost a lot of money since the result.”
Coun Dzidra Noor, ward councillor for Levenshulme who is originally from Latvia, told the M.E.N. many of her Eastern European constituents are 'scared'. She said: "I am from that community in Manchester. I know quite a lot of people.
"They have been sending me messages saying 'I am really worried about what the future holds'.
"They are worried about jobs and schools, it is very worrying for them. It is really hard to say if people will leave, we don't know what the agreement is going to be."
She added: "People are trying to apply for permanent residence to make sure they have some sort of protection. It is a massive worry, particularly for younger people because of the jobs and everything and not having a decent job back home."
