Police targeting hate crime

A week of action is taking place in a stand against hate crime and to show victims they will be supported.

Northumbria Police will be joining forces with a number of agencies to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week this week.

Northumbria Police Community Engagement Officer Tor Metcalfe, who helped organise some of the numerous awareness events, said: “This week, we are hoping to reinforce the message to everyone that being victimised because of who you are or who people think you are is fundamentally wrong. No one should ever have to experience discrimination, hostility or be treated differently because of who they are. Being you is not a crime and while we hope you never have to experience what it feels like to be a victim of hate crime, we hope you know you have the full support of the Force should you ever need us.

“Please do not suffer in silence. We take every report extremely seriously.”

Northumbria’s hate crime lead Superintendent Nicola Musgrove said: “It is absolutely unacceptable to abuse someone because of who they are and we will stand together to stop this sort of prejudice.”

Events taking place this week include:

Community opportunity event – Arts4Wellbeing has been invited into police stations across Sunderland from 10am on Thursday to see how police record and investigate hate crimes;

Hate crime awareness – The Winter Gardens with Sunderland People First, on Thursday from 9.30am12.30pm;

Hate Crime input with the 1st Washington Scout Group on Friday from 6pm.