Police in England have seen a marked increase in the number of hate crimes reported since the EU referendum last week.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council said initial figures show that there was a 57% increase in reported racist and xenophobic incidents between Thursday and Sunday compared with the same days four weeks earlier.

A police source told the Guardian:

“It’s no coincidence this has come off the back of the EU vote.”

The rising tide of racist and xenophobic abuse has caused Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Sadiq Khan to call for such attitudes and actions to be “stamped out”.

Khan, who called for unity after the divisive Brexit campaign, said:

“It’s really important we stand guard against any rise in hate crimes or abuse by those who might use last week’s referendum as cover to seek to divide us”

Some of the abuse has been aimed at people from Eastern Europe, but much of it has also been directed at Muslims, Jews, and people with non-white skin colour.

The entrance to the Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK) in West London was spray painted with racist graffiti, and cards reading “no more Polish vermin” were posted through the letterboxes and left outside a school in Cambridge.

In a statement, the Muslim Council of Britain said:

“In the past few days, we have witnessed shocking manifestations of hate speech not only online but also on our streets.

“There have been countless incidents reported including a Polish centre being daubed with racist graffiti, a racist demonstration outside a mosque in Birmingham, and many reports of Muslims and others being taunted with ‘go back home!’ or similar sentiments. The Muslim Council of Britain has compiled over 100 incidents reported of hate crimes following the referendum result.”

Board of Deputies of British Jews said it was also alarmed by reports of harassment and abuse across England.