Race hate reports on the rise in East Lancashire

4:00pm Thursday 20th February 2014 in News

REPORTS of racist hate crimes increased last year in East Lancashire after falling steadily for the three years previously.

There were 770 recorded incidents in 2013, down from 666 in 2012.

Numbers of recorded hate crimes had been in decline, dropping from 1,073 in 2009.

Racially and religiously aggravated assaults without injury saw the biggest increase, rising from 32 in 2012, to 41 in 2013, across Pennine and Eastern divisions.

General racist incidents also increased from 370 to 410 over the same period.

But hate crime campaigners have welcomed the figures, saying that they represent a growing recognition of ratially motivated crimes.

Sylvia Lancaster, founder of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, which encourages victims to report hate crimes to police, said: I think its a good thing, more people are recognising what a hate crime actually is.

And when crimes are reported police have a better picture and are seeing them as hate crimes, and thats got to be a positive step.

See the article here:
Race hate reports on the rise in East Lancashire