Hate crime 'won't be tolerated' say police in Sussex after national rise in incidents

Sussex Police is reminding the public that hate crime will not be tolerated in Sussex, after a national increase in reported incidents towards Chinese and Asian communities.

Sussex Police is reminding the public that hate crime will not be tolerated in Sussex, after a national increase in reported incidents towards Chinese and Asian communities.

The Force participate in the national awareness weeks for hate crime which aim to raise understanding of what hate crime is.

These advice weeks are a platform to encourage victims to report matters of hate crime to us to ensure support is provided and the relevant action is taken against the perpetrators.

Superintendent Rachel Swinney, the Force Hate Crime lead, said:

“The impact of coronavirus is widespread and is affecting most of us in some way. 

“We have seen many communities coming together to help and support each other however there may still be people who are being targeted simply for being who they are.

“I would like people to feel confident in reporting matters of hate crime to us. We are committed to treating victims with respect and empathy, incidents and any reports will be taken seriously. 

“I am aware there has been an increase nationally towards the Chinese/Asian communities. We have been fortunate not to see the same trend locally but as lockdown measures ease this may change. I urge anyone who may have suffered a hate crime to report it.

“I would also like to reinforce the message that it’s not just victims who can report hate crime; witnesses are vital and can play their part too by reporting any incidents seen. We work closely with partner agencies to ensure both victims and witnesses reporting a hate crime receive the relevant support.”

Hate crime can be reported to the police by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency. For those who wish to report online, you can do so here.

Supt Swinney added:

“A hate crime doesn’t always include physical violence. Someone using offensive language towards you or harassing you because of who you are, or who they think you are is also a crime. This includes circumstances whereby someone posts abusive or offensive messages. 

“The severity of hate crime offences has also been acknowledged by the courts and judges can impose a higher sentence if hate crime is one of the offences recorded.” 

If you have been a victim of hate crime you can also find support online at Safe:Space Sussex, a directory of local specialist services to help people find all the information they need here.

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