Statements of Support #NationalHCAW 2016

Today, at 6pm our third and final Thunderclap will go live, promoting the link to this page and announcing the launch of National Hate Crime Awareness Week #NationalHCAW.

Service at St Paul’s Cathedral

The week is being launched with an act of Hope and Remembrance for those affected by Hate Crime at St Paul’s Cathedral. More information here.

You can download the programme for service here;

hate-crime-an-act-of-remembrance-and-renewal-8-october-2016-single-pages

Speakers include;

• The Rev Cannon Trucua Hillas Canon Pastor; Canon in Residence
• The Rev Cannon Mark Oakley
• Mark Healey 17-24-30 No To Hate Crime Campaign
• Rose Simkins Stop Hate UK
• Rebecca Lawrence Mayor’s Office Policing and Crime (MOPAC)
• Trudy Howson LGBT Poet Laureate
• George Richardson friend of Ian Baynham

Music by Diversity Choir

BSL Signers Martin Fox-Roberts and Daniel Roberts

Hate Crime Awareness Events around the UK

During the week there will be a wide variety of hate crime awareness events taking place around the UK.

We have invited all those organising events to register them here.

We have marked all the registered events on our Google Map here.

Letters of support for National Hate Crime Awareness Week #NationalHCAW 2016

Every year since 2009 our #NoPlaceForHate campaign has received letters of support from across the political spectrum.

You can view past letters here; 2009,  2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.

This year, as well as contacting the leaders of the main political parties, we also invited the London Borough Mayors, and all the Police and Crime Commissioners around the UK to add their support.

Below are the letters we have received so far – we expect more to be added during the week.

You can find out more about 17-24-30 No To Hate Crime Campaign here.

Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party

I am pleased to support the Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Hate crime has no place in Britain. In my 6 years as Home Secretary I saw the pain and suffering it causes – and the consequences when we fail to act. As Prime Minister, I am determined to make Britain a place where all our communities can flourish and all people – whatever their background, can go as far as their talents will take them. That means stamping out sickening and shameful hate crime.

Everybody living in this country is equal and everybody is free to lead their lives as they see fit. We are free to practise any faith, follow any religious denomination, or ignore religion altogether.

We have one of the strongest legislative frameworks in the world continuing to protect communities from hostility, violence, homophobia and bigotry but we need to do more.

It is completely unacceptable for people to suffer abuse or attacks because of their nationality, ethnic background or colour of their skin. This government will not stand for it.

We have already taken steps to improve our collective response to hate crime. Police forces now ensure that the recording of religion-based hate crime now includes the faith of the victim. The Crown Prosecution Service has issued new guidance to prosecutors on racially aggravated crime, and we have provided funding for protective security at vulnerable institutions and for community organisations to help tackle hate crime.

We have published the Hate crime action plan which includes working with schools to equip teachers and parents to challenge hatred and know how to report it. And we are working directly with communities to challenge the harms that they see every day as a result of hate crime, including a £2.4 million fund for security for places of worship, and new funding for projects that tackle hate crime in communities.

But we must go further. As long as hate crime exists, we must challenge ourselves to do more. Because, as I said on the steps of Downing Street, my mission is to make Britain a country that works for everyone. Hate crime of any kind, directed against any community, race or religion, has absolutely no place in British society.

Together, by standing against hate and for tolerance, we can build a better and more united Britain that works for everyone.

The Rt Hon Theresa May, Prime Minister

Home Secretary

Mr Healey,

RE: National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016

Hate crime of any kind, directed against any community, race or religion has absolutely no place in our society. I welcome Hate Crime Awareness Week because it gives us a valuable opportunity to shine a light on this important issue and reinforce the message that we are united as a nation against Hate Crime in all its forms. Tackling hate crime is one of my key priorities as Home Secretary, and I will do everything that I can to ensure that it is stamped out.

One of my first acts as Home Secretary was launching the Government’s Hate Crime Action Plan. At the launch of the Action Plan I had the chance to talk directly to victims and community groups and hear about their concerns and experiences first-hand. They told me that they were glad to see that we are not only working on individual forms of hate crime, but also looking more holistically at the issue.

Talking to these groups also gave me a greater sense of the scale of the challenge that lies ahead. We have all seen the headlines over the summer; unacceptable incidents and crimes committed against people for no other reason than their nationality, their race or their religion. Graffiti on a Polish cultural centre, sickening attacks on Muslim women, threats against family homes. There is no place for this in today’s Britain. The Prime Minister has been clear that we are building a Britain that works for everyone, and we all have a role to play in ensuring that this Britain is fair, tolerant and inclusive. We welcome people of all races, nationality and faiths in Britain and we are stronger because of our diversity. We will continue to condemn these attacks and take action to ensure hate crime is stamped out.

This Government is tackling hate crime at its roots, challenging the narratives that lead to hate and intolerance and ensuring our young people are equipped to think carefully about what they hear about other people and groups, as well as giving context to world events such as the referendum result and conflict in the Middle East. We are working directly with communities to address the harms that we see every day as a result of hate crime, including a £2.4m fund to improve security at places of worship, and new funding for projects that tackle hate crime in communities.

We are encouraging more people to report hate crime and improving the criminal justice response to ensure that we get it right every time. Finally, we are building our understanding of hate crime so we know why hate crime happens, and so we can ensure our interventions work, along with improving the way in which the police respond to these appalling crimes. We are determined to tackle hate crime and stamp it out at its roots, there has been great progress to date, but of course there is more to do.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is a time to reflect on the events of this year and on the deeper issues which underscore hate in our communities. It is also a time to underscore our firm commitment to stand up against those who perpetrate these abhorrent crimes. I am heartened by the communities we have seen come together in difficult times to support each other over the last few months, and I am also pleased to see that the police are continuing to improve their response to hate crime, and are engaging with communities to ensure their safety and increase their confidence. It is only through working together – Government, police and communities – that we will defeat hate crime and make this a country that does work for everyone, no matter who you are.

Best wishes

The Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP Home Secretary

Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Labour Party

•  Pending

Liberal Democrats

I would like to offer my wholehearted support to this year’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

During this week we stand by those people who have suffered as victims of hate crime, as well as their families and friends.

No-one should ever have to feel threatened or afraid of being who they are, because of their sexuality, beliefs, race, gender or disability.

We especially remember those affected by the sickening homophobic attack in Orlando this summer. Orlando gave us the most stark of reminders that even in liberal societies, we must continue to fight against hate and speak up for equality.

This year has also seen a deeply concerning rise in anti-immigrant hate crime in the UK. But the Britain I know is an open, decent, and tolerant place. We have always been a beacon of hope for those in need. All of us, from political leaders through to individuals in their communities, must unite and show that we will not tolerate this abuse. We will challenge hate and discrimination wherever they are found.

When it comes to trying to find the words for such barbaric, horrific and unimaginable crimes like the events that took place in Orlando, I always fall back to the words of former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg who said, after the attack in Utøya, near Oslo in 2012: “We are still shocked by what has happened, but we will never give up our values. Our response is more democracy, more openness, and more humanity… we will answer hatred with love”.

Tim Farron MP – Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Green Party

A joint statement of support;

National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016

We are writing on behalf of the Green Party to express our support for this year’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

It is now 13 years since the concept of hate crime was embedded into criminal law, with the aim of protecting us from other people’s hatred – and their fear.  And that law is an important tool in holding people to account, even if – as the Law Commission has suggested – there is still room for improvement: in 2015/16, the Crown Prosecution Service completed 15,442 hate crime prosecutions, the highest number to date.

However, that very figure, and the deeply disturbing rise in racial abuse, assaults and other hate crimes during the EU referendum campaign and its aftermath, including the horrific murder of Arkadiusz Jóźwik in Harlow in August, confirm the ongoing challenge that we face. And, of course, we know that most hate crime goes unreported – research by the University of Leicester found that only 24% of victims reported their most recent hate crime experience to the police.

Indeed, we fear that years of steady progress towards a more respectful, tolerant, and cohesive society is now being eroded. Yet this process did not start on 23 June – what we are witnessing is the culmination of successive failures by governments, and by our press and media, to make the positive case for free movement, and to stand up for migrants’ rights.

As the Institute for Race Relations has noted, the victims of this most recent wave of hate crime come from all communities, and from the very young to the very old. White people have been attacked for looking Polish, or Muslim. And people who have lived here for many years and/or were born here have suffered racial abuse for what they report as the very first time.

So as we mark Hate Crime Awareness Week, we remember all those whose lives are made unbearable because of this kind of crime; all those who have been killed or have taken their own lives because of hate crime; and all those bravely standing up against hatred and being counted – in their community, in their school or university, in their workplace, or online

And we say enough is enough. We all should be able to live our lives free from fear – and we all have the right to do so.

Jonathan Bartley & Caroline Lucas MP – Green Party Co-leaders

Alice Hooker-Stroud, Leader, Wales Green Party

Amelia Womack – Green Party Deputy Leader

Jenny Jones – Green Party member of the House of Lords

Sian Berry & Caroline Russell, Green Party London Assembly members

Aimee Challenor, Sarah Cope & Rashid Nix – Green Party Equalities spokespeople

United Kingdom Independence Party

• Pending.

Northern Ireland Assembly

•  Pending

Welsh Assembly

First Minister of Wales

Dear Mr Healey.

I am writing to add my support to this year’s Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The Welsh Government remains committed to tackling all forms of hostility and prejudice. Hate crimes and incidents have a devastating impact on the lives of people and we will continue to implement our cross Government Tackling Hate Crime Framework to support a zero tolerance approach. This includes funding for our National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre.

Clearly these are challenging times. World events have continued to test our resolve and it is important that we remain resilient and united in our resolve. Since the EU referendum, it has been worrying to see the number of incidents of racist hate crime and abuse directed against both non-British people and people from ethnic minorities born here in Wales or elsewhere in the UK. As a government, we have made it clear that absolutely nothing has changed in the status of foreign nationals living and working in Wales. They remain welcome as they always have been – before devolution before the EU. Wales has always been a welcoming country and we must not lose sight of that. It is incumbent on all of us to stand up to anybody who thinks they now have licence to abuse people of different races or nationalities. They have no such licence and should anyone suffer from this sort of abuse, they should report it to the police immediately.

For Hate Crime Awareness Week this year we are working closely with the Police and Crime Commissioners across Wales to challenge people to think about the impact of underlying prejudices. This will be supported through a media campaign and we will also continue to encourage communities across Wales to report through a range of workshops, stalls and awareness which will be taking place.

My final message is of hope. Together we are stronger and it is important that we continue to break down any perceived barriers to inclusion or equality. Ultimately we are all judged by the actions which we take or do, regardless of our faith, race or any other protected characteristic. Everybody deserves to feel safe and be treated with respect and dignity.

Yours sincerely

Carwyn Jones

Scottish Parliament

•  Pending

House of Lords

Dear Mark

I write to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week, which raises awareness of the damage that hate crime can cause, not just to individual victims but to whole communities.

We live in difficult times and it’s even more important that every person, no matter their background, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, beliefs or ethnicity, should be allowed to live their lives free of the fear of being abused or attacked because of who they are.  It’s not only a human right, it also makes our society function better. Our towns, cities and countryside are happier, more secure places when we accept and enjoy diversity.

We all have to take responsibility. Communities are already working in partnership to combat hate crime and support those who have been targeted. But as individuals we must take action too and be positive about the value that those differences bring to our lives.

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

London Assembly

London Assembly Member Andrew Dismore AM

Dear Sirs,

National Hate Crime Awareness Week serves as a reminder that people in Camden must stand together to end rising hate crime in our borough.

Camden is home to people of all races, faiths and creeds. But we must not take for granted the values of openness and tolerance we hold dear.

It was upsetting and disturbing to see a rise in hate crime in London following the Brexit vote. Whilst perpetrators remain in the minority, this shocking rise reinforced the need for Londoners to unite to protect our city from these vile acts of hatred.

The Mayor of London has sent a strong message that urges Londoners to report hate crime to the police. He is right. Well can only stop these atrocities if we know they are happening. 

So to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week, I want to reinforce that message amongst Camden residents: if we experience hate crime we must report it, if we see a hate crime we must report it. 

London stands for openness, diversity, tolerance and harmony. Let’s make sure we stand together to keep it that way.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Dismore

Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden

London Assembly Member Caroline Pigeon MBE AM

Dear Mr Healey

I would like to congratulate 17-24-30 and Stop Hate UK for organising and promoting the 5th National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The week is absolutely vital in helping to make people aware of the fear and harm that hate crime creates.

Sadly many hate crimes have risen in London this Summer so the need to tackle hate crime has never been more important.

Let us ensure that as Londoners we unite in celebrating our diversity and work tirelessly to ensure that one day every Londoner feels safe and secure.

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM
Liberal Democrat Member of the London Assembly

London Assembly Member Fiona Twycross AM

Dear Mark,

National Hate Crime Awareness Week serves as a reminder that Londoners must stand together to end rising hate crime in our capital.

London is home to people of all races, faiths and creeds. But we must not take for granted the values of openness and tolerance that Londoners hold dear.

It was upsetting and disturbing to see hate crime on the up following the Brexit vote. Whilst perpetrators remain in the minority, this shocking rise reinforced the need for Londoners to unite to protect our city from these vile acts of hatred.

The Mayor of London has sent a strong message that urges Londoners to report hate crime to the police. He is right. We can only stop these atrocities if we know they are happening.  

So to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week, I want to reinforce that message to Londoners: if we experience hate crime we must report it, if we see a hate crime we must report it.  

London stands for openness, diversity, tolerance and harmony. Let’s make sure we stand together to keep it that way.

Yours,

Fiona Twycross AM London wide Assembly Member

Lord Mayor City Of London

Dear Mr Healey,

It is with great pleasure that I pledge my support to National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The City of London has for centuries championed British trade and industry and sought to keep this country competitive. It has succeeded in establishing London as one of the world’s most vibrant and prosperous business hubs. Much of this can be put down to the diversity and tolerance found in the City. London is a uniquely cosmopolitan city, which has enabled innovation and commercial development to thrive, as people from all backgrounds, beliefs and orientations are free to transact business.

With this in mind, it is more important than ever that we come together to raise awareness about hate crime. The City of London has been proactive in its preparation for National Hate Crime Awareness Week by organising three workshops. The first will be on 13^th October and will be open to all employees of the City of London Corporation. We will also run two workshops on the 14^th October, one in the Golden Lane Community Centre and the other at the Artisan Library, both of which are open to members of the public. These workshops will be a fantastic opportunity to learn about the ways in which we can support people around us who have been victims of hate crime, and safeguard the tolerance and inclusion for which the City is rightfully famous.

The Rt Honourable The Lord Mayor

Alderman the Lord Mountevans

Mayor of Barnet

Dear Mr Healey,

Barnet is a very large, diverse and harmonious borough. The Barnet Councillors come from all backgrounds and are unanimous that any form of hate is unacceptable and must be challenged and dealt with instantly.

One hate crime is too many, left unchallenged hate will lead to an atmosphere in which greater hate, extremism, and then violence, will thrive.

I urge everyone to be ‘up-standers’ and not ‘by-standers’.

Kind regards

Cllr David Longstaff The Mayor of Barnet

Mayor of Camden

Dear Mr Healey,

Camden Council is pleased to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week.  We understand the harm that hate crime causes to those individuals who experience it directly as well as the damage it does to our communities more widely.

Camden is, and will remain, a place that embraces and celebrates diversity. We have always welcomed people from different countries and backgrounds and valued the contribution they make.

This is why tackling hate crime is a priority for the Community Safety Partnership in the borough, work we take forward with our communities and a wide range of agencies to ensure that Camden is “No Place for Hate”.  We will be taking part in National Hate Crime Awareness Week in order to promote the work we do especially in terms of making victims safer.

Councillor Nadia Shah,

Mayor of Camden

Leader of Brent Council

As Leader of Brent Council, I am proud to support Hate Crime Awareness Week.

In recent months, we have seen a concerning rise in the number of hate crimes being reported across the UK. This kind of intolerance has no place in our society and it’s important that events like Hate Crime Awareness Week shine a spotlight on this problem.

The number of prosecutions for hate crime offences in the UK have never been higher. On one hand, that shows we have a robust legal framework for tackling this kind of intolerance. Unfortunately, it also shows that more needs to be done to address the underlying problem of prejudice and xenophobia in society.

I’m proud to live in Brent – the UK’s most diverse borough. We speak over 130 languages and welcome people from around the world. We understand the value that this diversity brings to our communities and the important contributions that everyone can make to society.

I hope that Brent will continue to be a shining example of how our differences shouldn’t just be tolerated – but celebrated.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council

Mayor of Haringey

Dear Mr Healey

As Mayor of Haringey, I am proud to represent my borough at the launch of the National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Haringey is a borough proud of its diversity, and celebrating the contribution made by residents of all backgrounds.

I was particularly proud recently when, at its meeting of 18 July, Haringey Council passed a resolution condemning hate crime unanimously – showing that we stand together as a borough against xenophobia and racism and in condemnation of hate crimes.

The resolution read:

This Council notes the result of the European Union referendum and the Government’s affirmation that this country will leave the European Union.

This Council is concerned about the impact of leaving the EU on Haringey’s local residents.

This Council is deeply disturbed by reports from across the country of increases in xenophobic and racist attacks following the referendum.

This Council notes that:

• there are thousands of people from many different countries living in Haringey and contributing to our local economy and culture
• many Haringey residents are from the EU and will be understandably concerned about their future and safety following the referendum
• there are many people who were born in Haringey who now live, study and work in other EU countries who are concerned about their future
• many of Haringey’s communities have family and cultural ties with other EU countries

This Council believes that Haringey is enriched by the diversity of its residents.

This Council further believes that people from other EU countries who live and work in Haringey are a boon and not a burden to our borough.

This Council calls on our local MPs to:

• Fight to ensure that EU citizens already settled here can continue to: live, work and study here, and use public services for free, as they currently do.
• Call for negotiations with other EU countries to give the same rights to British Citizens living abroad in EU countries.

This Council affirms its commitment to work with the police and other public services to protect local residents and stamp out xenophobia and racism.

Kind regards

Cllr Ali Gul Ozbek Mayor of Haringey 2016-17

Mayor of Islington

Dear Mr Healey,

Islington Council is proud to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Islington is a welcoming and tolerant borough, which has throughout its history welcomed people from across the world to live and work in our communities. 

The vast majority of people here do treat each other with dignity and respect, but sadly hate crime is something that is experienced by too many people and as a council we are committed to tackling it in our communities. We see tackling hate crime as central to our commitment to making Islington a fairer place for all.

Islington Council will shortly be publishing and adopting a new Hate Crime Strategy. The ‘No Place for Hate’ strategy recognises that there is significant under-reporting of hate crime across London, including in Islington. We want to do all we can to give people the confidence to report it, provide appropriate support to victims and those affected by it and ensure effective action against its perpetrators.

Our aim is to ensure that every victim of hate crime in Islington has the confidence in our services to report it. We will work with our partners to ensure that victims receive a timely and effective response with appropriate support and protection to ensure that they feel safe and secure. Critical to that is making sure that perpetrators of hate crime are held to account and that at all levels hate crime is challenged.

Best wishes,

Cllr Kat Fletcher

Mayor of Islington 2016/17

Mayor of Lambeth

Dear Mr Healey,

Hate crimes are any crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudices towards disability, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or sexual orientation.

Everyone has the right to feel safe and confident about who they are and should not be made to feel vulnerable or at risk.

Lambeth council has no tolerance for this type of abuse but we need to be made aware that these crimes are taking place.

I am happy that this event is taking place to discuss the issue openly to stop it.

Hate crime undermines diversity and tolerance – we should instead be celebrating it.

With best wishes

Yours sincerely

Councillor Saleha Jaffer  Mayor of Lambeth 2016/17

Mayor of Lewisham

Message from the Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, to mark the 5th National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Lewisham is a tolerant and respectful place where people live together in harmony, and I am proud that as a borough we are supporting the 5th National Hate Crime Awareness Week (NHCAW).

In Lewisham we are stronger through our diversity, and in overwhelming numbers people in Lewisham are civil to their neighbours and courteous to other local residents.

But we know there have been incidents and attacks around the country and in our own borough and these are treated with the utmost seriousness by Lewisham Council and the Police. Hate crime is unacceptable and we are taking steps to tackle this head-on, for example by making it easy to report such incidents by re-establishing third party reporting sites and promoting the new smart phone app called ‘Self Evident’

At a meeting of Lewisham Council in July 2016, along with councillors from all parties I signed a declaration pledging to work together to fight bigotry and intolerance, and support further community cohesion.  We invited local residents to make the same pledge and continue to ask them to do so. (link to pledge) http://tinyurl.com/hah6pzm

As a council we are participating in a number of events throughout NHCAW, and this begins on the launch day itself with multi agency stalls situated in Lewisham Shopping Centre to encourage members of the community to report hate crime and educate individuals about hate crime.

Lewisham Council will continue to promote and support initiatives that tackle hate crime, and while I am the Mayor of Lewisham I will continue to make it a priority.

We are proud of the strength and variety in our community locally and long may it continue.

I send my best wishes and support to all those participating in NHCAW 2016.

Sir Steve Bullock Mayor of Lewisham

Mayor of Sutton

Dear Mark,

All people of goodwill must stand together, in these difficult times, against hate crime.

No-one in our society should be threatened, targeted, attacked or abused for being who they are. Crimes of hatred are an evil cancer in our society and every individual and organisation must resolve to do all we can to demonstrate our opposition.

Yours

Councillor Richard Clifton, Mayor of Sutton

Mayor of Waltham Forest

Dear Mr Healey,

I am pleased to add my support to National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The themes I have adopted for my year in office, ‘Patience, Understanding and Tolerance’, chime precisely with what you are seeking to achieve with your campaign.

I am proud to be the first citizen of one of London’s most diverse and cohesive boroughs, where we appreciate differences and celebrate similarities. 

No one should be made to feel afraid or at risk in today’s society and we all have a duty to promote unity and goodwill among individuals and communities.  I therefore applaud your efforts and wish you every success with both the awareness week and your on-going work.

Cllr Peter Herrington, Mayor of Waltham Forest 2016-17

 Police and Crime Commissioners

Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner

I welcome National Hate Crime Awareness Week as an opportunity to talk about hate crime, the impact it has on people’s lives and what more we can all be doing to prevent it from happening in the first place. It also enables us all to reach out to victims of this terrible crime and let them know that they are not alone, there are people who can help.

I fully support the work being done by organisations such as 17-24-30 and their efforts to raise awareness of such a destructive crime. It is only by standing together, can we truly tackle hate crime. Our message is clear – perpetrators who affect communities with their hatred and vitriol are not welcome and will not be tolerated.

Hate crime is motivated by prejudice towards any aspect of an individual’s identity such as a disability, sexuality, race or religion. In 2015, 423 hate crimes were reported in Avon and Somerset and the majority of these were racially motivated, while others were homophobic, faith and disability related.

Following the results of the EU Referendum there has also been a worrying increase in hate crime nationally, including in Avon and Somerset. Let’s be clear, the result of the Referendum did not legitimise hatred and racism. There are no excuses for this behaviour and as local communities we must stand together united against hate crime.

As communities, if we see this behaviour we must challenge it and report it. We must help give victims of hate crime the confidence to speak to the police or partner agencies about their experience. There are some fantastic organisations offering support to victims of hate crime and locally I have commissioned an adults’ advocacy service – AVoice.

I believe we must take pride in the rich, multi-cultural and beautifully diverse communities we live in, taking every opportunity to learn more about one another’s cultures, traditions and livelihoods. Celebrating inclusivity has been the focus of past hate crime awareness weeks in Avon and Somerset using #celebratenothate to share people’s positive stories.

As individuals, I believe our differences should be celebrated; it’s our uniqueness that makes each and every one of us who we are. Being targeted because of your age, race, sexual orientation, religion or any other reason is unacceptable.

We all have a right to live in a society free from fear of hate.

Best regards

Sue Mountstevens

Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey

Many thanks for your email dated 16^th September and please accept this as my letter of support for National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

It has been disappointing to see an increase in the reporting of hate crime both nationally and locally following the outcome of the EU Referendum, however, I have been pleased at the way the Constabulary has responded immediately, engaging with affected communities and providing increased support.

Practical and positive steps have been taken to encourage both victims and witnesses of hate crime to report incidents. Communities need to be safe in the knowledge that they will be taken seriously and that issues will be investigated thoroughly.

Although we are now seeing levels return to those formerly experienced before Brexit, the Constabulary will continue to work closely with local groups, holding further talks with community leaders, and will continue to reassure communities that appropriate actions are being taken.

Both my office and the Constabulary are working hard to put together events during National Hate Crime Awareness Week. This will be in the form of Police contact points in high footfall areas with a hate crime awareness theme. Each area of Cambridgeshire will have their own contact point and we aim to not only raise awareness but also ensure that if someone is the victim of a hate crime, they know how to report the crime and that their report will be taken seriously.

Kind regards

Jason Ablewhite

Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mark

Hate Crime Awareness Week

I am writing to show my support for Hate Crime Awareness Week as an opportunity to raise the profile of the work ongoing around tackling hate crime and raising awareness of this important issue.

As Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland one of my key priorities is to work towards a better deal for victims, and since first coming into office in November 2012 I have had a continued focus on raising the profile of hate crime which we know is a massively under reported crime in our diverse communities.

In the 21st century it is completely unacceptable that people are not free to live their lives as they wish without fear of discrimination and persecution, and I am committed to ensuring that the diverse communities which I represent can live and work in a tolerant society where hate crime is not accepted and is dealt with promptly and robustly by criminal justice agencies.

During my time in office I have hosted several multi agency events focusing on tackling hate crime, commissioned a Disability Hate Crime Awareness film for front line staff, and a separate version for use in primary schools, commissioned Show Racism the Red Card to work with school children and teachers across Cleveland to tackle racism and also spoken with diverse community groups across the local area to better understand the barriers they face in reporting hate crime to the police and other agencies.

Raising awareness of hate crime within communities is key to this work, and initiatives such as Hate Crime Awareness Week, which raise the media profile of this often hidden crime, and instrumental in getting the message out to perpetrators that we will not tolerate such behaviour, and to victims that they should not suffer in silence.

I know from speaking to victims of hate crime that many suffer regular abuse which they see as a part of their everyday life, and I would urge anyone who is being targeted in this way to make the courageous first step of reporting the incident to allow us to provide the support they need, and also to take the actions needed to stop this from happening to future generations.

Yours faithfully,

Barry Coppinger

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland

Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey

I am proud to be supporting Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Hate Crime Awareness Week is a good opportunity to talk about hate crime.  I want to be clear that in Cumbria hate crime is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

I hear from victims the long-lasting effect hate crime has on their lives.  They often suffer in silence for too long and there is simply no excuse for someone to be subjected to such abuse and crimes.  My commitment is that I want to encourage people to come forward and I know sometimes how difficult it will be in some circumstances to report crime.

The pace of change within society is moving quickly and it is essential that we all embrace the change happening within our communities and across policing.  One of the ways to reduce crime is to stop it happening in the first place. In Cumbria, we are launching a drama production to go into secondary schools focusing on what is hate crime and why it is not acceptable.  This proactive approach is being supported by multi-agency training, educational support programme to offenders of hate crime to work towards reducing re-offending, engagement at a community level to give people a voice.

I am a great believer in ‘we, not they’.  It is only by us all working together that we will make a difference and stop hate crime.

Peter McCall
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner /Dorset Police

Dear Mr Healey

We are writing to confirm our commitment to the national Hate Crime Awareness Week. As a Force, we recognise the detrimental impact that harassment, prejudice and targeted hostility has on individuals and the wider community.

Hate crime can take many forms and all forms of hate crime are unacceptable in any circumstances. Hatred not only has the potential to cause serious physical and emotional harm, it damages communities and undermines the diversity and cohesion we should instead be celebrating.

We have in place our equality strategy which sets out how the Force understands who it serves, where those people and communities are, what are their needs and expectations and how services are designed and monitored. The strategy also sets out how the Force understands the workforce, who and where our staff are and their needs and expectations of Dorset Police as an employer which links to our positive action strategy to encourage representation from under-represented groups.

On Saturday 9 July, Dorset Police took part in Bourne Free at which a police car specially decorated for the event and arranged by the Office of the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner was launched. Officers and staff walked in the parade alongside the branded vehicle which has been specifically decorated with rainbows and stars to celebrate Pride. The PCC is also a trustee of Bourne Free having been involved with the event since 2010.

Both Dorset Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner had information stands; sharing community safety information and asking for resident’s views on policing. Dorset Police is working to build increased confidence among the LGBT community.

On Saturday 6 August, Dorset Police took part in the Dorset One World Festival in Dorchester, joining in the celebrations that brought people of all cultures together. It provided an opportunity for officers to get a feel for issues facing local communities.

Officers from the Dorchester Neighbourhood Policing Team and three Equality Champions joined in the festivities as part of the Force’s ongoing effort to demonstrate that hate crime will never be tolerated and victims of crime will be supported.

Officers raised awareness of hate crime reporting options available to any victims, including the pioneering Hate Crime App, which helps the most vulnerable members of society to report in the moment and in the privacy of their own safe environment.

We have also founded Prejudice Free Dorset, a partnership organisation that seeks to promote inclusive communities across Dorset. Prejudice Free Dorset working in partnership with Dorset Police, will provide a victim focussed response to any incidents reported. Tackling hate crime is a priority and we continue to work with our communities to stamp it out.

Our joint efforts include educating the public on how prejudice affects individuals and communities, encouraging victims and witnesses to report hate crime, signposting to support networks for victims of hate crime and providing third party reporting centres.

Hate crime has always been under-reported. We are working to build the confidence of all communities to come forward and report hate incidents and crimes. With recent media coverage, national and international events raising the profile of hate crime, we want to encourage victims to come forward in confidence. We seek to bring perpetrators to justice wherever possible.

Prejudice Free Dorset will be holding a Hate Crime Conference on 10 October during Hate Crime Awareness Week to consider the government’s new hate crime action plan with our communities and agree our action plan for the coming year in relation to preventing and responding to hate crime, increasing reporting, improving support for victims and building understanding. Yours sincerely

Yours sincerely

James Vaughan Deputy Chief Constable & Martyn Underhill Police & Crime Commissioner

Durham Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mark Healey,

I would like, once again, to support the work of the ’17-24-30- No to Hate Crime Campaign’ and Stop Hate UK for their efforts in facilitating and promoting Hate Crime Awareness Week.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is not just a day to celebrate the giant leaps and baby steps which have been achieved so far, but to call on all of us to continue our commitment

A time has come to chat out a future where those gains are protected, nurtured and used as a catapult for our vision; a safe and enabling environment for all individuals and communities.

This isn’t going to be a one person or one organisation led movement. Together, we can work towards a country where there will be zero violent assaults, misinformation and any form of phobia towards a person’s identity.

Absolutely no one should be victimised because they have a different faith, gender, disability or sexuality.  Every person-no matter who they are or what they look like or what gender they identify as, deserves to be valued and loved for who they are. It is very encouraging to see so many people speak out against Hate Crime and support National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

All 3 North East PCCs have a shared commitment to tackle Hate Crime issues, by raising awareness of what Hate Crime is and how to respond to it, encourage reporting, and promote local support services and resources. Our police forces are dedicated to tackling Hate Crime, to better serve people who have been a victim of Hate Crime, to end this type of crime.

However, I recognise that there is still much to do to confront Hate Crime and tackle the scale of under-reporting. Many victims are still reluctant to report incidents to the police.

For these reasons, I am determined to do more to support vulnerable people and victims of Hate Crime. Reducing the impact of Hate Crime remains a priority and features in the refreshed Police, Crime and Victims’ Plan. I want to reduce the incidence of Hate Crime and increase confidence for individuals to report these appalling crimes, instead of suffering in silence.

My ambition is to make services for victims in County Durham and Darlington the best in the country. I believe that every victim of crime should benefit from the best possible service according to their needs and this can only be done by continuously improving the quality of the response and support available.

It is vital that we continue to work closely with partners and the voluntary sector organisations to share the knowledge and the ability to improve the service to all those who have been a victim of hate crime, and as such, I encourage people to come forward to report Hate Crime.

Yours sincerely,

Ron Hogg

Ron Hogg (standing on the left)

Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mark

Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner
As the Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner I fully support the National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

In Gwent, I have worked hard with Gwent Police to produce a joint four year strategic equality plan (SEP) 2016-2020. The SEP sets the strategic direction and governance for my office and Gwent Police to ensure that we are a fair, inclusive, and accessible service which drives to eradicate all forms of discrimination and promotes cohesion and integration. The SEP equally aims to ensure we develop, train and support our workforce and that, as far as possible, the workforce is reflective of the community.
Our first equality objective within the SEP is hate crime and domestic abuse, which specifically aims to ’identify abuse and harassment where it impacts on communities and individuals  and act effectively to prevent and challenge this behaviour , as well as bring offenders to justice’.

To contribute to this objective and marking Hate Crime Awareness Week, we are working with Gwent Police to provide a community-based event, themed in response to negative mainstream and social media and subsequent community tensions surrounding recent national and global events. Acts of terrorism across the world, and more locally, the impact of the EU Referendum campaigns have contributed to a rise in racially aggravated hate crime across the UK, and in Gwent, communities have told us that they are now more fearful of hate crime and feel less safe.

Therefore, our event will focus on welcoming asylum seekers, refugees and migrants to Wales, learning about their stories, experiences and reasons for coming to Gwent, challenging some of the common negative perceptions that exist and recognise the contribution that they make to local communities.  The event aims to reach out to local people and ask them to engage in conversations about discrimination, prejudice and hate crime in an informal setting.

I am currently consulting with the public, more broadly, on what matters most to them regarding policing. I have included community cohesion as a proposed priority within the consultation as I want to ensure that the policing priorities reflect recent community tensions and on – going concerns. This will ensure that we continue to take action and help restore peoples’ sense of belonging and value. It is my belief that, as a society, we are stronger together and there is no place for hate.

Jeff Cuthbert
Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent
#westandtogether   #noplaceforhate

Leicestershire Police Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey

At a time when society is nursing deep wounds from global tragedies driven by hatred and intolerance, the message behind Hate Crime Awareness Week has never been so relevant.

Hatred of any form is a destructive force, dividing, isolating and damaging our communities and the people who live in them. It is vital we stand together to fight the injustice of separation and challenge the harmful attitudes that perpetuate violence and fear in society.

In Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, we are standing together to reject discrimination on every level. Those who are motivated by hate remain in the minority and it is up to us as advocates of peace and acceptance to eradicate these grotesque attitudes from our communities. We believe we can achieve this through leading by example and empowering our residents to reject division in their communities.

We’re holding a series of events throughout Hate Crime Awareness Week to celebrate togetherness and diversity from sharing food from different cultures to creating opportunities for people to meet their neighbours, understand their beliefs and customs and to share stories.

The seeds of anger and hatred are set at an early age and unravelling these attitudes is not an easy task. The power of education to challenge damaging ideas should not be underestimated and our Leicestershire County Council Libraries service will hold wriggly readers sessions for 0- 4s during the awareness week incorporating books which celebrate respect for one another and celebrate differences.

We are also encouraging our communities themselves to host events that bring people of different cultures, faiths and traditions together to build relationships. Many victims of hate crime suffer in silence and feel unable to report their experiences to police. Creating a neighbourly support mechanism within our communities in which local people protect the vulnerable and help one another to report hate crime and seek help is the key to tolerant and inclusive communities.

There is no stronger message than when our diverse communities stand together side by side to reject hate and emphasise its futility in modern society. Hate undermines everything we stand for and by standing together we can make a difference.

Yours sincerely

Lord Willy Bach Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner

Leicester Police

I am pleased to pledge my support for National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016.

We Stand Together with the diverse communities of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland tackling hate crime and encouraging reporting and engagement every day. Throughout #NHCAW we will be continuing our work to increase reporting and awareness of hate crime and support available to victims. We will also be holding Police Liaison Officer of the Deaf (PLOD) awareness raising event.

Yours sincerely

Simon Cole QPM Chief Constable

Mayor’s Office Policing and Crime – MOPAC Police Crime Commissioner

Dear Mark,

I am delighted to be able to pledge my support and that of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is an important event, which provides a real opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of hate crime on all the communities of London and across the country.  National Hate Crime Awareness Week promotes the delivery of a vast array of inclusive, cross-cultural activities, which effectively demonstrate how we stand together against hate crime and to support those who have been targeted.

We are all rightly proud of the incredible diversity of our city, and we celebrate it. This is all part of what makes London such a vibrant, dynamic and exciting place to live or work; we must stand together to protect our city and our communities against hate crime of any form.

I would like to pay tribute to the work of the ‘17-24-30 – No to Hate Crime Campaign’ and to Stop Hate UK for your collective efforts in facilitating and promoting National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The Mayor and I are honoured to be able to support this work and we look forward to working together with you and other voluntary sector organisations over the coming months to deliver a zero tolerance approach to hate crime in the Capital.

Yours sincerely,

Sophie Linden

Deputy Mayor for Policing And Crime | Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime

Nottinghamshire Police Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey,

I write offering my full support to Hate Crime Awareness Week and the work of the 17-24-30 No To Hate Crime Campaign which helps raise awareness of the devastating consequences of prejudice on individual lives and the well-being of the wider community. There is no place for hate-fuelled exclusion, intolerance, persecution or discrimination in a modern and diverse society. Prejudice is a learned behaviour and must be tackled at source.

Hate crime is an area in which Nottinghamshire Police is strengthening its resolve by increasing support to victims of this crime and challenging destructive and damaging attitudes which harbour hatred and perpetuate fear.

We are working closely with our local universities and with faith groups to help victims understand whether they are or have been affected by hate crime and most importantly how they can report their experiences and access help.

We know that the number of hate crime incidents reported to the police are just the tip of the iceberg and that many victims, especially young people, live in silence and fear. the only way to resolving this is to increase confidence in our support mechanisms and justice process to encourage more vulnerable victims to come forward and this is very much a priority in Nottinghamshire.

Hate crime threatens and undermines relationships and divides our communities. The impact on victims can be devastating and can have a detrimental effect on every area of life from education and employment through to health and wellbeing.

From January, a new victims’ services model will be in place in Nottinghamshire which will enable any victim of crime to seek help to recover from their experiences, regardless of whether or not a crime has occurred. This is a significant step for victims of hate crime who often doubt whether their experiences constitute a crime or not. We will be working within our diverse communities to ensure everybody knows how to access this support.

This new service empowers community-based organisations to deliver help. It is recognised that localised support services are often better placed to engage with hard-to-reach victims of hate crime and related offences and I’m hopeful that this system will make it easier for these individuals to access confidential help.

All of the work to date has been driven from extensive research with victims and our partnerships with third sector organisations, support charities and public sector colleagues. I want to build a county that embraces diversity and difference and celebrated friendship and togetherness and I believe past victims of hate crime can help us to do that by helping shape future services.

Hate and prejudice is never acceptable and I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone suffering from such abhorrent criminality to come forward. Your experience will be treated with the utmost seriousness and you will receive the help you need.

Yours sincerely

Paddy Tipping

Police and Crime Commissioner

Nottinghamshire Police

This is a year which has reminded us all why National Hate Crime Awareness Week is so important, where we have seen tragedies both overseas and at home, where scarcely a month has gone by without a news report unveiling a new attack on a person or community simply because of who they are.

In the last six months, Nottinghamshire Police has introduced two new categories of hate crime: misogyny and alternative sub-culture. Our introduction of misogyny as a hate crime provoked a huge response. Amid the emotive media reporting, which sparked some scepticism, we received many touching emails and letters thanking us for our work. We heard from women who were grateful for the support, from those who hoped they never had to report an incident but felt emboldened knowing this was in place, and from those who wished the category was in place in their home town.

Standing up against hate crime can often feel isolating and lead to feelings of self-doubt. I myself have had times where I have questioned myself.  When we announced our work around misogyny I was told to get back to ‘proper policing’, and called a sexist and a bigot.  I heard that another woman was being threatened on social media, simply because she advocated women’s rights to live their life free from intimidation. At times like these it is important to remain focused on our goal and mission. If our actions mean that people across Nottinghamshire can walk a little taller, can enjoy a night out without fear of it ending in violence, can live their life to the full, then we must continue.

I hope that’s what we all take from this week. A reinvigoration of our conviction to do the right thing, no matter how difficult that might be. A commitment to tackle hate crime of any kind, to make every street in this country that little bit safer, to make every person feel secure, supported and believed. A promise that we will not stand by and watch as people change their life and their routine because of the actions of another. It is our positive duty to protect people and as a police force to protect life.  Our staff will never forget that as members of the police service.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week may last for seven days, but our actions must continue for the remaining 358.

Chief Constable Susannah Fish, OBE QPM

Nottinghamshire Police

 

Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey,

I am writing to express my wholehearted support for National Hate Crime Awareness Week which is key in raising awareness of how we can all work together to tackle this issue.

As Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, one of my key priorities is supporting victims. We don’t want anyone suffering in silence and in Surrey, the Force has worked hard to ensure people feel confident in coming forward to report offences to police or to speak to our partner agencies.

We all must seek to provide reassurance to local communities that any criminality of this kind will be treated seriously and fully investigated. Hate crime hurts us all – it strikes at the heart of our communities and has no place in modern society.

It can take many forms, all of which are unacceptable in any circumstances and there are absolutely no excuses. I believe this year’s theme of ‘Standing Together’ will hopefully send out a strong message as only by presenting a united front against all forms of hate crime can we hope to defeat it.

In Surrey, we will be holding a Force Hate Crime Conference on October 12 during Hate Crime Awareness Week in which officers from all aspects of policing will carry out workshops and hear directly from victims and organisations about the impact it can have.

This key learning will help further educate our officers so that they can take that learning back into the workplace and improve our service to those affected by hate crime.

Since coming into office as Commissioner in May, I have sought to engage with the many diverse communities in Surrey to understand their issues and see where we can help.

They all continue to play a vital and valued role in our county, and I want to ensure they remain fully supported by Surrey Police.

Yours Sincerely

David Munro – Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner

I am delighted to support this year’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

I was deeply saddened by events in Orlando and the increase of reports of hate crime following the EU referendum.

Throughout history the British have shown themselves to be a tolerant nation, and one which has been enriched socially and economically by the many diverse peoples who have made this island their home.

Like many, I have no time for bigotry and believe that no one should be singled out and victimised because of their race, faith, sexuality, gender or disability.

Many minority groups have not always had trust in the police. As PCC I am determined to improve this for everyone in Sussex and that is why I fully support any initiative that tackles hate crime, which is a key priority in my Police & Crime Plan.

In 2015, during National Hate Crime Awareness Week, I launched a bespoke hate crime reporting app to make it easier to record and report all strands of hate crime in Sussex.

The Self Evident crime reporting app is an existing piece of technology developed by social enterprise, Just Evidence. However, financial investment from my office has enabled more custom-built software to be added which serves a wider purpose: victims of hate crime are now able to send a report straight to victim support services without the need to report to police. The modified app empowers victims by allowing them to choose the kind of support they want to receive. Ultimately, the app puts the victim in the driving seat.

Another benefit of the app is its ability to record and store video, audio and photo evidence. This is particularly good for witnesses of hate crime and subsequently will help communities feel empowered to tackle it and show that it won’t be tolerated.

In the summer I joined forces with Brighton Pride and several pubs and breweries to encourage people to download the Self Evident hate crime reporting app and help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate.”

Katy Bourne, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner

Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey

RE: Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016

Hate crime is completely unacceptable in any form and against any person.  I am a strong believer in fairness and for people to be able to live in society without feeling or being treated differently for any reason.

I am supporting local work in collaboration with partners to try to encourage reporting of hate crimes, to provide better support to victims and to educate people on hate crime.

I would like to show my support to National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016 taking place in October and would encourage others to participate.

I am supporting local activity across Warwickshire during the week and will continue to work throughout the year to tackle this crime type.

Yours sincerely

Phillip Seccombe, TD Police and Crime Commissioner

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey,

National Hate Crime Awareness Week – along with your other sterling work at 17-24-30 gets my wholehearted support.

I work in the diverse and dynamic West Midlands, an area that understands the importance of mutual respect and strength in unity. This year’s NHCAW theme of Standing Together therefore strikes a chord with me.

Hate crime is a corrosive practice: one that has no place in modern society. Anything that promotes awareness, tolerance and respect should therefore be celebrated and this is the reason I am supporting National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Keep up the good work,

Yours sincerely

David Jamieson

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey

As West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner tackling hate crime and supporting victims is an absolute priority.

Organisations such as 17-24-30 and the National Hate Crime Awareness Week play a crucial role in tackling hate and they have my full support.

Recent local, national and international events have impacted upon our communities, but I want to offer reassurance that myself, West Yorkshire Police and our partners are fully committed to working together to tackle these issues head on.

We have an ongoing awareness raising campaign “Hate Hurts.  Report it, Sort it, Say No to Hate Crime” which will be re-launched during hate crime awareness week. At the very heart of that campaign is the message that: Everyone has a right to feel safe and no one should ever be a victim of hate crime  because of their disability, gender, identity, race, religion, sexual orientation or because of how they choose to dress.

I have also been supporting many local projects to deliver support to victims of hate crime and better understand the impact of hate crime and hate incidents on individuals and communities through projects funded by my ongoing Safer Communities Fund and my recent extraordinary Hate Crime grant round which was funded by Ministry of Justice Victims Support Services Fund.

I want to stress that there is no place in West Yorkshire for those who foster any kind of hatred and intolerance, a view which I know is held by the vast majority of our diverse communities. I encourage anyone affected to come forward and report it. We take every report seriously and investigate thoroughly, putting appropriate support in place for any victims.

To find out more about our work to tackle hate crime and the support available to victims visit https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/campaigns/hate-crime.aspx.

We all need to work together to send out a strong and clear message that hate is unacceptable, will not be tolerated and any victims who come forward will be fully supported.

Best wishes

Mark Burns-Williamson

West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Dear Mr Healey,

I am pleased to offer my support for National Hate Crime Awareness week.

Following the EU referendum we have seen an increase in the public awareness of hate crimes. It is important that we continue to raise awareness, and this national week gives us another opportunity to highlight this important issue.

I, like many others in our community understand that any form of hate crime is not acceptable. Sadly we must recognise that there are people in our communities who are still targeted and suffer as a result of their race, religion, gender, sexuality, age or disability.

I am working in partnership with people and organisations across Wiltshire and Swindon, and this week I will support the launch of the Wiltshire and Swindon Hate Crime Group Strategy. The strategy is committed to putting victims at the heart of everything we do, to reduce the harm which can be caused by hate crime.

I want to ensure members of the public that, along with Wiltshire Police and partners, we will work to increase the trust and confidence of victims and encourage them to come forward to report acts of hate crime.

My aim in Wiltshire is to ensure that every member of the public has confidence in the service they will receive from the Wiltshire Police to identify and prosecute offender of hate crimes.

Yours sincerely,

Angus Macpherson Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Wirral Council

Dear Mark

Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016

I am writing to offer my support for Hate Crime Awareness Week and the ongoing work you do to tackle and raise awareness of hate crime.

As Wirral Council’s cabinet member for housing and community safety, I am part of a partnership of agencies charged with building safer, stronger, more confident communities where people feel safe. We are therefore very grateful for your campaign to raise awareness of hate crime and your work to encourage people to report incidents of it.

As you will be only too aware, many victims remain unconvinced of the need to report incidents – resulting in massive under reporting – and far too many victims have been left feeling unsupported and let down by the response by public agencies when they do.

Determined to change this situation, the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Liverpool City Region has published a victim strategy and led a thorough review of victim support services, resulting in enhanced and specialist care for victims of crime in Wirral and across Merseyside. It includes a new advocacy service, which, among other things, improves visibility and outreach work to improve public awareness of hate crime and the support available, plus an integrated service from the point of contact through to resolution.

Together, we will send a loud and clear message to the perpetrators that we will not tolerate hate crime and prove to its victims that they should not suffer in silence and will receive the support they need.

Yours sincerely Councillor George Davies

Stop Hate UK

Stop Hate UK is proud to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week

National Hate Crime Awareness Week

Saturday 8th-Saturday 15th October 2016

Stop Hate UK are once again proud to be working in partnership with the charity, 17-24-30, to coordinate and promote National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016.

17-24-30 was set up in 2009 by Mark Healey and Ryan Parkins following the London bombings in 1999 so that we would never forget the 139 people who were killed or injured. National Hate Crime Awareness Week has since become a focus each year for individuals and organisations, large and small, to show their commitment to stopping hate.

The week begins on Saturday 8th October with a service of Hope and Remembrance at St. Paul’s Cathedral, to remember all those who have lost their lives because of Hate Crime and all those who have been affected by it. (Click here for the full launch event information)

During the week various events and initiatives will be held throughout the country by charitable and voluntary organisations, statutory agencies such as the police, police and crime commissioners, local authorities – and many others. Through information stalls, campaigns and social media these agencies will be working together to raise awareness about the different ways to report Hate Crime and the support services that exist to help those who are affected. You can see the Guide to holding your own event by clicking here

Rose Simkins, Chief Executive of Stop Hate UK said:

“National Hate Crime Awareness Week is always a wonderful event, as it sees so many organisations working together to raise awareness about Hate Crime. Hate Crime across all monitored strands – disability, faith, gender identity, race and sexual orientation is a much under-reported crime. It’s important that we all continue to work together to ensure that those people who have been impacted by Hate Crime know where and how they can access support and the different options available to them. We want to see all perpetrators brought to justice and our communities made safer.”

Stop Hate UK and 17-24-30 have released a joint press release, which you can read by clicking here.

We hope as many people as possible participate in National Hate Crime Awareness Week. Keby looking for #NHCAW right across social media.

Community Security Trust

Dear Mark,

On behalf of all at Community Security Trust (CST), I am pleased to be able to pledge our support for National Hate Crime Awareness Week this year. I am proud of our past and present association with NHCAW, and with many of the excellent organisations and individuals who contribute to the week, and wish it continued success.

The UK Jewish community is confident and flourishing, yet mainly operates from a strong base of protective security and in contrast to growing levels of antisemitism. CST’s latest antisemitic incidents report (January-June 2016) shows a long term trend of sustained higher levels of antisemitic incidents since the summer of 2014, when incidents in the UK rose sharply in response to conflict in the Middle East.
And, of course, the Jewish community lives in the shadow of several recent deadly antisemitic attacks that have shaken sister Jewish communities in Europe and beyond.

As a result of a pained history and a complex reality, the Jewish community has recognised the importance of monitoring levels of hate directed at us for many years, which is why CST has been recording antisemitic incidents since 1984.

Our experience in doing so has benefitted other faith and minority communities in doing the same, and in many cases the wheel has turned full circle – we are now learning from our friends and partners. It is these positive relationships and coalitions that break down barriers, help foster positive relationships, and leads to cohesive communities where hate is tolerated less and less.

Initiatives like National Hate Crime Awareness Week help cement these vital bonds further.

Warmest regards and good luck,

David S Delew MBA

Disability Hate Crime Network

Dear Mark

National Hate Crime Awareness Week

Hate in our country and society is a dreadful, daily constant, and it is vitally important to recognise the damage done to victims of this insidious and under-reported crime.

National Hate Crime Awareness week is a time when we can, and must all join together and endorse the aims of reducing all hate crime against anyone whoever they are of from whatever background they come.

In our network we see that In the face of hatred, apathy can be interpreted as acceptance — by the perpetrators, the public and, worst of all, by the victims. National Hate Crime week reminds victims that all over the country people are fighting hate, and are standing up to promote tolerance and inclusion.

We all grow up with prejudices. Acknowledging them – and working through them – can be a scary and difficult process. It’s also one of the most important steps toward breaking down the walls of silence that allow intolerance to grow. Luckily, we all possess the power to overcome our ignorance and fear, and to influence our children, peers and communities.

We must unite and take action; if we don’t, hate persists. Victims of hate crimes feel terribly alone and afraid. They have been attacked simply for being who they are — their disability, their faith, their ethnicity, their sexual orientation. Silence amplifies isolation; it also tacitly condones the act of hate. Victims need a strong, quick message that they are valued.

More often than not, when hate flares up, good people rise up against it — often in greater numbers and with stronger voices. There is power in numbers in the fight against hate. We must work together to create a healthy relationship with local police; CPS and all agencies, human rights groups and CJS officials for a unified response.

National Hate Crime Awareness week is a time of reflection, but it is also a reminder that we fight the battle for all the other weeks of the year. While we at the Disability Hate Crime Network are not logistically able to create an event for National Hate Crime Awareness Week, each of us will be involved in some way in either local or national events.
We endorse the aims of reducing all hate crime against anyone whoever they are of from whatever background they come.

Stephen Brookes MBE
Coordinator Disability Hate Crime Network

Disability Rights UK

In a recent BBC broadcast I said ‘disability hate crime is, often, still something which goes unreported and unnoticed. This can be because disabled people don’t think their account will be taken seriously or due to a distrust of the system. When times are harder people often become more intolerant and pick on those who are different’.

Attacks on disabled people seem to be increasing – partly because of improved reporting rates, which is a positive testimony to the work of some police forces and prosecutors, and partly because sadly we live in an era in which intolerance still thrives. More positively, prosecutions are increasing – but still we see clear cases of crimes motivated by hate not categorised as such. We need sustained action by police, CPS and the courts’.

National Hate Crime Awareness week is a time for us all to reflect on our part in reducing this abominable crime and is a time when we can unite to say that attacks on anyone because of their being perceived as being different is not to be tolerated.

One of our Ambassadors, Stephen Brookes is also a founder coordinator of the Disability Hate Crime network, and was involved in the production and dissemination of the well-recognised Disability Rights UK Third Party reporting guidance, and we promote this as being one way of communities of interest increasing confidence in reporting of hate crime. http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/publications/lets-stop-disability-hate-crime-guidance

We commend the work being done by Mark Healey and the 17 24 30 campaign and will continue to press for the rights of individuals to live without fear of attack.

Liz Sayce CEO Disability Rights UK.

Galop

Dear Mark

I am pleased to commit Galop’s continued support to National Hate Crime Awareness Week. Events like this provide a valuable opportunity to share the knowledge and learning from our direct client work combatting homophobia, biphobia and transphobia to ensure the needs of LGBT victims of hate crime are heard and responded to. We are in fact taking the opportunity to launch the second edition of the Galop Hate Crime Report during NHCAW. 

Galop’s 2016 Hate Crime report provides an in-depth examination of hate crime against LGBT people. It finds that despite huge progress on this issue, 4 in 5 LGBT people have experienced hate crime. It also highlights that victims still face considerable barriers to accessing assistance in terms of policy, practice and legislation. Whilst the UK remains a world leader in it’s response to Hate Crime, it evidences we still have more to do. I welcome NHCAW’s support in highlighting key findings and the recommendations that the report makes.

The study is the product of a pan-European collaboration, funded by the EU with European partner organisations combatting hate crime. The importance of this work, at this time in particular cannot be understated, following the Brexit vote there was a 147% rise in the use of our hate crime casework service. 

In this context it has never been more important that communities stand strong together in solidarity against hate crime of all types and Galop is extremely honoured to co-ordinate the Community Alliance to Combat Hate (CATCH). It is an intersectional partnership initiative, launched in April this year, which is the first project of its kind to establish a partnership of the leading specialist community hate crime organisations. 

Thank you for your continued hard work in co-ordinating NHCAW.

Best wishes

Nik Noone
Galop Chief Executive

Inclusion London

Dear Mark,

Hate crime is an everyday experience for too many Deaf and Disabled people in the UK, yet there remain many barriers to reporting, recognition and response. This year we also remember the murder of 19 Disabled people with learning difficulties in a care home in Sagamihara in Japan. It was reported that the person that carried out the killings said, “It is better that disabled people disappear”.   

Inclusion London supports this year’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week and welcomes the increased awareness of all types of hate crime that the week brings, as Deaf and Disabled people also belong to other communities such as the BAME community and the LGBT community.    Thank you Mark, for your work to help make #NHCAW happen. 

Another positive initiative is a new partnership between Metropolitan Police and Inclusion London, which aims to improve the identification, investigation and response by officers to hate crime against Disabled people in London.  We are pleased to hear that ‘Disability Hate Crime Matters’ is already having a positive impact. 

Reports such as, ‘Living in a Different World’ a joint review by HM Crown Prosecution Service, the Police and Probation Service and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’, have helped to raise awareness of hate crime against Disabled people.  However, there is still a long way to go.

The first step is the reporting of hate crime, which can be difficult. ‘Support to report’ is needed to ensure victims are supported through out the process of reporting and going to court. Funding for local third party reporting centres is much needed.  Inclusion London provides information about reporting hate crime against Disabled people, which is available at: https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/campaigns-and-policy/facts-and-information/hate-crime/reporting-disability-hate-crime-2/

Also information about local Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations in London, which provide support to victims of disability hate crime is available at: https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/campaigns-and-policy/facts-and-information/hate-crime/deaf-disabled-peoples-organisations-providing-disability-hate-crime-support-services-involved-local-partnerships/

Inclusion London is a Deaf and Disabled People’s organisation and #WeStandTogether with all those supporting National Hate Crime Awareness Week to make the UK #NoPlaceForHate.  

Ellen Clifford Campaigns and Policy Manager Inclusion London

Message of support for National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016

As an Ambassador for the Hate Crime charity, Stop Hate UK, I am very proud to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016.

The week is organised by the charity 17-24-30, in partnership with Stop Hate UK and runs from Saturday 8th to Saturday 15th October.

The week encourages people, organisations and charities to come together to highlight the issues and stand united in our ‘zero tolerance’ towards Hate Crime in today’s society.

During the week various events and initiatives will be held throughout the country by charitable and voluntary organisations, statutory agencies such as the Police, Police and Crime Commissioners, local authorities – and you can even hold your very own event.

The subject of Hate Crime is one that is very close to my heart and I wholeheartedly support the week and hope that, as in past years, all the efforts, events and initiatives will be a great success!

Good luck and well done to everyone involved.

Adrian Derbyshire

International Wheelchair Athlete for Great Britain

Ambassador of Stop Hate UK

Cannon St Paul’s Cathedral

I am delighted as an Ambassador for Stop Hate UK, and a Patron of TellMAMA, to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week. Once again, St Paul’s Cathedral will welcome so many brave and good people as we launch the week with a short reflective vigil. Many other places around the country will be holding similar events. We are living in troubled times that look for easy but innocent targets to blame. Those who will gather at St Paul’s do so to uphold the dignity and truth of each and every human life, promising to do all we can to protect this dignity wherever it is threatened by violent words or actions. There will be many bruised hearts amongst us, I know, but we will be there to inspirit each other with hope and to celebrate a truth that the world’s future depends on – diversity is always more beautiful than division.

Canon Mark Oakley Chancellor, St Paul’s Cathedral

Faith Associates

Dear Mark Healey,

In my capacity as CEO of Faith Associates, I would like to express our support for National Hate Crime Awareness Week and the work being done by organisations such as 17-24-30 and Stop Hate UK to tackle this problem.

Hate has no place in our society and we at Faith Associates recognise the importance of standing in unity against all forms of prejudice to ensure a society that welcomes everyone and celebrates the richness of diversity in cultures and religion.

Faith Associates has been providing advice, guidance and training on management, governance and compliance to Mosques and Madrassahs across the UK for over 20 years. In recent months, we have seen the alarming rise of Islamophobic and Anti-Muslim hate crimes targeting Muslim men, women and institutions. These crimes serve no purpose other than creating more divisions between communities and increasing fear and anxiety in society.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is an opportunity for all of us to come together and reiterate our abhorrence to Islamophobia and all other forms of hate crime and to show that there is more that unites us than divides us. We will be supporting the fantastic events happening all over the UK this week that seek to bring awareness to these issues and look forward to lending our voice in the struggle to eradicate hate from our societies.

We will be working with Mosques and Imams to deliver workshops on how to keep institutions safe and secure and be promoting our latest publication, the ‘Incident Management Guide for Faith Communities’ that works with and supports faith leaders from all religious communities in preparing to respond to incidents and provides contact details for key crime reporting authorities.

We must work together in order to tackle hate. We will continue to speak out against all forms of prejudice and stand in solidarity with victims. We wish success to all those involved with National Hate Crime Awareness Week and look forward to do doing our bit in building bridges and ties of friendship.

To find out more about what we do, visit www.faithassociates.co.uk.

Warmest Regards,

Shaukat Warraich   CEO – Faith Associates

Westminster LGBT Community Forum

The Westminster LGBT Community Forum is proud to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2016 and its St. Paul’s Cathedral Launch Event on 8 October. The memory of the 30 April 1999 Soho bomb remains alive in the hearts, minds and, sad to say, bodies of many of our friends, not only across LGBT communities and our straight allies, but deep within the rainbow diversity of Afro-Caribbean and Asian groups that continue to make London so vibrant. Many of us have experienced hate-crime first hand whether on grounds of  ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability or belief. Such violence, both in words and actions, have hit us hard in the face. The current escalation of reported hate-crimes can only be halted by all of us coming out together to proclaim loud and clear – NO TO HATE CRIME!

Martin Pendergast

Chairperson – Westminster LGBT Community Forum