Brexit has sparked a ‘febrile’ atmosphere
Campaigners and politicians should watch their language to avoid inflaming the “incredibly febrile” atmosphere around Brexit, one of the country’s most senior police officers has warned.
Martin Hewitt, who this week became chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said that public figures should be wary of “consequences that weren’t intended” when speaking about the issue. Addressing journalists during a briefing at the National Police Co-ordination Centre, he said: “This is highly emotive as an issue as we all know and clearly everyone will have their opinions.
“But I think there is a responsibility on those individuals that have a platform and a voice, to communicate in a way that is temperate and is not in any way going to inflame people’s views.”
The political situation over Brexit has already seen heated protests on both sides, and a number of MPS have requested beefed-up security in the past six months.
Police have also seen an increase in abuse aimed at politicians, Commander Adrian Usher, who leads parliamentary policing, said.
Mr Hewitt went on: “We are in an incredibly febrile atmosphere as a result of the whole EU exit scenario.”