Certainly this is happening here also. Free speech is like taboo here. Maybe it's also to do with our cultural background of religious repression and historical abuses. Younger generations may be less influenced, but there are so many things that people don't complain about here.

On the other hand the rise in racism, anti-immigration has been epic and I feel is misplaced aggression onto minorities.

I've read also similar here, where issues that are deemed less important than housing and major social issues are given more prominence. The reason cited for this, was that politicians 'know' what the public want to hear (ie) that they're concerned about climate change and other 'green' issues, and it's like a displacement activity. Although I know climate change is hugely important, given the earthquakes and global warming crisis, but extreme focus on that, to the detriment of families and children homeless, lack of housing, etc, is also a form of distraction. Politicians love to distract.