Cllr Andy Hull’s anti-hate crime message

• THIS week is National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2018, an opportunity for our communities to unite and stand together with those affected by hate crime.

That is why Islington Labour councillors are signing up to the Islington Hate Crime Pledge. You too can take a stand against hate and join the hundreds of local organisations and individuals who have signed up online at www.islington.gov.uk/hatecrime.

Islington Council’s Labour administration was elected on a bold manifesto to make our borough a fairer and safer place for all. That must include tackling hate crime in all its forms.

There is still work to be done to ensure that people know how to help prevent and address hate crime, so the council will be running an awareness-raising campaign throughout the week, alongside our partners, Arsenal FC, City and Islington College, the Met Police, British Transport Police, Finsbury Park Mosque and the Elfrida Society.

Thankfully, reporting an incident is simple: you can do it by telephone, online or using the Self Evident app – and you can make your report anonymously, if you wish.

It is critically important that victims receive support after hate crime incidents, whether the perpetrator is convicted or not. We have excellent partner agencies, locally and nationally, offering support to those who have experienced hate crime, including, for instance, Camden and Islington LGBT Forum, Community Security Trust and Victim Support. Colleagues in the council and police need to make the most of these charities and refer victims to them for support.

There is always more we can do to tackle hatred in our communities. I sit down regularly with police colleagues and community partners to talk through real incidents of hate crime in Islington and how they were dealt with.

One lesson emerging from that dip-sampling is that, as a partnership, we could be better at spotting patterns of offending, rather than seeing individual incidents in isolation. It is a lesson I intend to ensure we learn and apply.

Islington is no place for hate, and this council will always work hard to promote togetherness in our wonderfully diverse borough. I’m proud that Islington Labour is continuing to listen to our residents and to stand up against all forms of hate.

CLLR ANDY HULL
Executive member for finance, performance and community safety, Islington Council