Hate crime damages communities and undermines the diversity and tolerance we should instead be celebrating

National Police Chiefs' Council Lead for Hate Crime, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said:

"All forms of hate crime are unacceptable. It damages communities and undermines the diversity and tolerance we should instead be celebrating. The police are determined to respond robustly and ensure all members of society are treated as equals.

“Over the years, we have noticed that hate crime tends to increase following critical incidents in the UK or during global conflicts. As the report from Faith Matters identifies, there was a spike in reports following the murder of Lee Rigby in 2013, and further spikes were seen over the last year following terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen. We are working closely with partners and civil society groups to identify these trends and put in place measures to reduce tension.

“Under-reporting of hate crimes continues to be an issue and the police service has been working hard to ensure that people from all communities feel confident to come forward and tell us when they have been a victim of, or witnessed, a hate crime. They should never suffer in silence. We offer advice to those affected by hate material on True Vision, our hate crime web facility at www.report-it.org.uk. The site offers guidance about abuse online which may be illegal and offers advice on how to report it, including the option to report crimes directly to the police online. People can also report by calling 101.”

Read the full report here