Letter: Racism must be reported responsibly

Sir: I must write to say I was shocked to see (13 January) Gravesend pointed out in your map on deaths in Europe with racist connections. We have a peaceful community of more than 90,000 people here where any incidents are dealt with swiftly, on the basis of close and proven co-operation between the council, the police and the ethnic minority communities themselves.

We are, of course, concerned about racist attacks both locally and nationally. One racist attack is one too many. We must, however, tread the difficult path between proper public discussion of the issue to heighten awareness of it and causing unnecessary alarm in communities where relations between different groups are, by and large, very good.

In that connection, what does worry me is that this questionable map is really producing a poster that a racist mind could gloat over. It could attract more trouble to relatively peaceful areas.

Yours faithfully,

GRAHAM GREEN

Leader

Gravesham Borough Council

Gravesend, Kent