Residents of Beckenham have rallied around a couple who run a local corner shop after offensive leaflets, allegedly racially motivated, were delivered to hundreds of homes. The leaflets contained multiple unsubstantiated allegations about Pritesh and Himaliben Patel, who have managed the Londis newsagents on Upper Elmers End Road in Eden Park for nearly 20 years.
Community support after hate leaflets
When Pritesh first heard about the leaflets, he feared his family might be ostracised and would have to close the shop and move elsewhere. However, he said the support from the community had been “immense.” Customers have been coming in droves to make purchases, hand over flowers, and wish the Patel family well. “It’s been overwhelming,” he said.
Pritesh described the man who distributed the leaflets as “very cowardly” and said he was sure the police were doing their part to try and identify him. “I’m feeling pretty secure now, and I think even if this kind of thing happens in the future, I know the community stood by me and so I’m not really worried about it anymore,” he added.
MP calls for hate crime investigation
Beckenham and Penge MP Liam Conlon met with the Patels on Sunday evening to hear their concerns. He said the leaflet was a targeted racial attack and has pushed the Met Police to investigate the incident as a hate crime. Doorbell footage of the man delivering the leaflet to homes has been handed over to police, and the MP has encouraged any Eden Park residents with footage who haven’t sent it to the authorities to do so.
Conlon has met with members of the community and said many Eden Park residents were unsettled and angry about what had happened. “They have a real pride in the fact that they’re part of the community and it’s just been really upsetting for them. But I would say that the response from people has been phenomenal. There’s been so much support,” he said.
Councillors condemn hateful actions
The three Bromley councillors representing Kelsey & Eden Park have also made a joint statement about the incident. Cllrs Mark Amis, Michael Doble, and Chris Phillips said: “We deplore hateful actions like this using baseless untruths which lack respect for our own neighbours and the wider Beckenham community.” Cllr Phillips has also met with the Patels to express his sympathy and assure the family that the Eden Park community is supporting them.
Pritesh reflected on the incident, saying: “You always have some sort of fear in the back of your head thinking, hang on, what’s gonna happen round the corner if someone’s holding the wrong end of the stick and they come with bad intentions. So you don’t know, but then you can’t be living in fear and thinking about that type of thing. You just take it on the chin and carry on to be honest.” The police investigation is ongoing.
