Hate Crime Awareness Week takes centre stage in Leeds

A variety of events and activities are to be held across Leeds to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2018.

Partners from across the city including Leeds City Council, Safer Leeds, West Yorkshire Police, British Transport Police and Stop Hate UK will once again join forces from Saturday 13 - 20 October to spread the important message that hate crime in all of its forms will not be tolerated.

As part of the official launch held today, Cllr Debra Coupar, executive member for communities and Paul Money, chief officer of Safer Leeds joined representatives of partner groups, including Stop Hate UK at Leeds Civic Hall to underline the city’s commitment to tackling hate crime. A special information event was also held on Millennium Square which provided members of the public with the opportunity to find out more about the support that is available to tackle this issue.

The launch will be followed by events held at various locations across Leeds, which includes a number of ‘pop-up Hate Crime Roadshows’ that will provide a wealth of information and stress to the public why it is so important to report any instances of hate crime immediately.

Adding their support to the city’s Hate Crime Awareness Week campaign are a number of prominent figures in the statutory, voluntary and community sectors through a series of video blogs which will be displayed on the big screen in Millennium Square.

Leeds has set out a clear no tolerance message regarding hate crime, and anyone who is experiencing it can be assured that if reported, it will be taken seriously.

There are a number of ways to report hate crime. This can be done in person at any council office or council one stop centre, any Police Station, at Stop Hate UK, or at one of the city’s designated reporting centres. For more information, please see the notes to editors section.

Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council executive member for communities, said:

“We work closely with a range of partners from across the city, including West Yorkshire Police, to tackle any reported incidents of hate crime.

“We simply will not tolerate hate crime in any form, and National Hate Crime Awareness Week offers us another opportunity to raise awareness of the support that is available through a wide-ranging programme of activities across communities in the city.

“We would urge anyone who experiences hate crime to please contact the police, council, or Stop Hate UK as soon as possible. There are many ways to report an incident and you can be assured that you will be listened to and that your case will be investigated both properly and thoroughly.”

Notes to editors:

A hate crime is defined as a crime which is committed against someone due to their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.

To report a hate crime, you can telephone West Yorkshire Police on 101 or in an Emergency 999 or the Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team on 0113 222 4402 or email at LASBT@leeds.gov.uk. The national organisation Stop Hate UK can be contacted on 800 138 1625, by text to 07717 989025 or via talk@stophateuk.org or downloading the Stop Hate UK APP. For a full list of Leeds City Council Reporting Centre’s, please see: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/saferleeds/report-a-hate-incident

By reporting incidents, you will enable the police, local councils, housing associations etc. to build up patterns of behaviour locally, and highlight areas of concern within your community. We will help you get the support you need and ensure that offenders are brought to justice. This could also prevent other incidents happening to someone else.

You can find out more information regarding tackling Hate Crime and Hate Crime Awareness week activities and events at: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/saferleeds/home

For media enquiries, please contact;

Colin Dickinson, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 39 51578

Email: colin.dickinson@leeds.gov.uk