Poles under attack

0:00am Fri Aug 15, 2008

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Racists are being blamed for repeated attacks on two Polish businesses in Newark.

High-tech security systems are being installed at the Bocian Polish Food Store on Albert Street and at Maja, a delicatessen on Barnbygate, to help to combat the problem.

Mr Krzysztof Goebel and Miss Paulina Nowak have owned the shop on Albert Street for seven months.

In that time a spanner has been thrown through a window, eggs have been thrown at the shop, people have spat on their windows, and they have been sworn at.

Miss Nowak said the spanner that broke the window nearly hit a pregnant woman inside.

“On my own at night, I do not feel very safe,” she said.

“These things happen just because it is a Polish shop. The people opposite have not had these problems.”

The couple opened the shop because they thought the town’s Polish community was not catered for.

They previously lived in Lincoln for 21/2 years, and moved to Newark about three months ago.

Miss Nowak said that at first she was scared because of the way the shop was targeted.

She said: “I thought that everyone who lived in Newark was not very nice, but then more started to come in the shop and most people were nice.”

She said despite what had happened they still felt part of the community and liked the fact there was a large number of Polish people in Newark.

She was angry that there was still a minority targeting the shop.

At Maja, windows have been smashed, eggs have been thrown and racial abuse has been directed at staff.

Mr Tomasz Gora opened the shop in March.

“I guess they target a Polish shop because they discriminate,” he said.

The MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, said he was appalled by the attacks.

“I find it very difficult to understand how people could be that stupid,” he sad. “It is needless racism.

“Of all the places in Great Britain where the Poles should be welcome, Newark should be top of the list.

“I do not really see a Polish community in Newark now.

“They are wholly integrated and just happen to be people from a different background.”

Newark is twinned with Sandomierz in Poland and there is a Polish war graves section in Newark Cemetery.

The remains of the Polish wartime leader, General Sikorski, were buried in the cemetery until 1993 when they were returned to Poland but there is still a memorial to him.

There is also a Warsaw Air Bridge memorial in the cemetery.

Mr Mercer said the Polish community, many of whom have lived in Newark for many years, were an asset to the town.

The new security systems being installed in the shops are being paid for by the Nottinghamshire Police Supporting Traders Against Racism initiative.

The recorded material will be good enough to be used as evidence in court.

The leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, Mr Tony Roberts, teaches English to Polish nationals who settle in the area.

“I am appalled that anybody in our civilised society could behave like this towards any person,” he said.

Mr Roberts said Poland was a member of the European Union and its people had every right to work over here, as British people had the right to work in Poland.

“The Poles contribute hugely to the economy of this nation,” said Mr Roberts.

“This sort of behaviour is disgusting.

“We ought to be thoroughly ashamed of these people that live in our community.

“If it is youths, parents should be ashamed that they have brought their children up this way.”

Children’s author Mrs Helena Pielichaty from Collingham recently had a play commissioned in Doncaster called Buddies.

The play is about Polish children settling into British schools and aims to stop racist behaviour towards them.

Mrs Pielichaty said she was disappointed racist behaviour had been reported in Newark because of the town’s historical association with Poland.

She said the historical link was probably what drew Polish people to Newark.

“Some of them are successful when working over here and the shop owners are being penalised for it,” said Mrs Pielichaty.