The Lord Mayor of Chester was reduced to tears after revealing she had been racially abused on an official visit, while a senior councillor revealed how he had been branded a 'supporter of genocide' while heading to a council meeting.

A meeting of Cheshire West and Chester Full Council recently voted to back a cross-party motion reaffirming its commitment to community cohesion and interfaith collaboration.

During the meeting, community leaders and councillors spoke about what they said had been a 'worrying' rise in incidents across the borough.

Zeba Salam, of Chester Muslim Sisters Association, told councillors Muslim women and girls were 'afraid' to go out and singled out what she called the 'territorial flying of flags' as having 'emboldened' some of the people committing such acts.

She said: "We're deeply concerned about the increase in unauthorized flags being flown across Cheshire West and Chester. 

"Let me be clear, we all respect freedom of expression and value true patriotism.

"But in recent months, all these displays have shifted from symbols of pride to tools of division and intimidation."

She told members: "Many women and children in our community have told us they no longer feel safe going out. They have endured racist comments, harassment and even attacks.

"Simple everyday activities, taking your child to the library, walking with your grandchildren, meeting families at events, going to school or the mosque have been marred by racism.

"They are living in fear and being humiliated in public spaces in a borough they call home."

During the debate which followed later, Mandy Clare, Reform councillor for Winsford Dene, said: "We have a problem and the flags are about saying that we have a problem, and people – predominantly working class people – that tend to be ignored and who are being impacted within their communities by problems."

She added: "The flags are saying, we have a problem. We're being ignored.

"We're being silenced. It's affecting our communities.

"It might not be affecting everybody's communities, but it's affecting our communities and it needs addressing. That is freedom of speech, and it isn't terrorism, and it isn't hate."

Liberal Democrat councillor for Tarvin and Kelsall Ted Lush revealed he had been in a meeting with the Lord Mayor of Chester Councillor Sherin Akhtar, who had said she had been racially abused while on mayoral business.

He told the chamber: "She was explaining she was on one of her public duties and how she was racially abused.

"And when she was explaining this to us she was reduced to tears, and I felt close to tears myself, because I thought it was appalling that that should happen to someone who is serving our community in the best way possible."

Saughall and Mollington councillor Simon Eardley, deputy leader of the Conservative group, raised concerns over recent violent incidents targeting Jews, such as the murders in Manchester, and condemned what he called a 'culture of intimidation and hatred' that he said had been exacerbated by some national political figures.

He told the meeting: "I'm not Jewish but I'm proud of the links my own Christian faith has with my Jewish brothers and sisters throughout common heritage.

"My support for the Jewish community is well stated, particularly manifest in the last two years through my solidarity with those who have been held captive by Hamas in the hot tunnels of Gaza.

"It has resulted in abuse and lies spread about my own thoughts and opinions, like being labelled supporter of genocide as I walked to a council meeting at Chester Town Hall just a few weeks ago."

The motion adopted by the council includes the following measures:

Promoting community cohesion and supporting interfaith activities by working cross-party to engage with Jewish and Muslim leaders across the borough.

Collaborating with the council's equality and diversity team to ensure meaningful engagement with affected communities.

Reaffirming the council's commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that all residents- regardless of faith, belief, or ethnicity- feel safe, respected, and protected from discrimination or exclusion.

Labour's Karen Shore, the council's deputy leader, said it was 'heartbreaking' that the debate was necessary but 'heartwarming' that the motion had received such support in the chamber.

She added: "We have much more in common than divides us and must stand together to protect the values that define us – democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

"We support decency over division."