Letter: Abusive, Anonymous Telephone Calls Should Not Be Tolerated

Published on: 4 Jul, 2016
Updated on: 4 Jul, 2016

From Caroline Reeves

Lib Dem councillor for Friary & St Nicolas

I would like to respond, through your online paper, to the anonymous caller who contacted me on Friday. She blocked her number so I could not call back.

The caller angrily accused me of saying all Brexit voters are racists. As I was unable to get a word in edgeways I wasn’t able to ask any questions, but I gather that she had totally misinterpreted the meeting at Tunsgate on Tuesday, June 28. The whole purpose of the meeting was to make a statement that we would not tolerate racism or xenophobia of any sort in Guildford, and nor should it be tolerated anywhere.

Those who spoke made non political, cross party statements and no one declared how they had voted in the referendum; it was not relevant. It was stressed that the organisers understood that many who voted Leave had no more truck with racism and xenophobia than those who voted Remain.

Unfortunately, the caller was so angry that she would not listen to me at all but simply shouted at me for several minutes about the number of ‘immigrants’ stopping anyone from getting homes.

She also assured me, a Liberal Democrat, that she will never vote Conservative again. Unfortunately, she was too busy shouting at me to hear that I thought that was a good idea!

I know such behaviour may not be surprising, these days, but anonymous communication such as this should not, in my view, be tolerated silently.