Race attack on grieving family - 10th Feb 2012 7:01pm
A MUM and daughter paying their respects in Dewsbury Cemetery were subjected to a torrent of racist abuse by a gang of up to 20 Asians.
The 39-year-old white woman, who was with her 11-year-old daughter, was going to lay flowers at her mother's grave.
The mum and daughter had just been dropped off at the Pilgrim Crescent entrance while the woman's husband went to park up.
It was at this point that a gang of Asian youths gathered and began taunting them.
They were called "white slags" and "white trash" as they laid flowers on a grave only yards away.
The woman, who asked not to be named, said her daughter was reduced to tears and added: "She was shaking. I had to hold her hand to keep her calm.
"I was frightened and thought we were about to be attacked. Thankfully they stayed by a wall near the cemetery gates."
The woman, originally from Westtown, had travelled from Hull with her daughter and husband to visit her mother's grave.
They had just been dropped off by her husband at around 3pm on Sunday when the incident happened.
The husband realised what was happening and drove back to pick them up.
"My husband could see that things were not all right," said the woman. "Our daughter had drawn a picture for her gran and was putting it on the grave.
"She couldn't understand why these youths would be so abusive and I don't either. My mum died only recently and things are still a bit raw.
"Westtown used to be a lovely area when I lived here 20 years ago. I don't know what's happened to it. There's just no respect any more."
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the victim made a complaint after returning to Hull and would be interviewed by Humberside Police.
He urged people to report incidents as soon as possible and added: "We take any form of hate crime extremely seriously.
"Such incidents should be reported to us as soon as possible so that we can get to the area and deal with the offenders."
The 39-year-old white woman, who was with her 11-year-old daughter, was going to lay flowers at her mother's grave.
The mum and daughter had just been dropped off at the Pilgrim Crescent entrance while the woman's husband went to park up.
It was at this point that a gang of Asian youths gathered and began taunting them.
They were called "white slags" and "white trash" as they laid flowers on a grave only yards away.
The woman, who asked not to be named, said her daughter was reduced to tears and added: "She was shaking. I had to hold her hand to keep her calm.
"I was frightened and thought we were about to be attacked. Thankfully they stayed by a wall near the cemetery gates."
The woman, originally from Westtown, had travelled from Hull with her daughter and husband to visit her mother's grave.
They had just been dropped off by her husband at around 3pm on Sunday when the incident happened.
The husband realised what was happening and drove back to pick them up.
"My husband could see that things were not all right," said the woman. "Our daughter had drawn a picture for her gran and was putting it on the grave.
"She couldn't understand why these youths would be so abusive and I don't either. My mum died only recently and things are still a bit raw.
"Westtown used to be a lovely area when I lived here 20 years ago. I don't know what's happened to it. There's just no respect any more."
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the victim made a complaint after returning to Hull and would be interviewed by Humberside Police.
He urged people to report incidents as soon as possible and added: "We take any form of hate crime extremely seriously.
"Such incidents should be reported to us as soon as possible so that we can get to the area and deal with the offenders."
