Response to post-EU Referendum increase in hate crime

As a key part of civil society Nottingham Citizens has a proud record of working with diverse groups for the common good – in particular in tackling hate crime and creating a more equal and cohesive society.

Yet, since the outcome of the EU Referendum there has been national evidence of increased hostility towards members of the Black and Minority Ethnic community and to those seen as being migrants or refugees to our nation. Some of our own BME and diaspora membership have shared anecdotal evidence of racial hostility and hate crime that appear to be influenced by the outcome of the Referendum.

It is so important that we make a stand as Nottingham Citizens and communicate to our membership that in the midst of current political uncertainty we celebrate, value and stand with people in our membership from around the world as we challenge hate in all its forms. To anyone within our member communities or beyond who has been directly affected by this issue we stand with you in support and solidarity.

To this end it is vital that any such incidents are captured and reported so that the appropriate action can be taken by Nottinghamshire Police. If hate incidents are not reported then we risk failing our communities and not understanding the true nature of hate incidents across the county.

How to report hate crime

We are strongly encouraging our membership if they become aware of any hate-motivated incident that in the first instance they should encourage and persuade the victim to report the incident to the police by calling 101 if it's a non-emergency or 999 in an emergency. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report an incident online at the True Vision hate crime reporting website .

If, for whatever reason, the victim does not want to report the incident then members should be aware that it is possible for people to report as a third party to the True Vision website whilst respecting the wishes of the victim where appropriate. Reporting hate crime is key to resolving this unpleasant issue in our society.

Campaigns against hate crime

You and your institutions may also want to do something practical in the wake of this increase in hate. A couple of suggestions of campaigns you might want to support or engage with are:

An online petition Condemn rise in racism calling on the Home Office to stand up against hate. This petition was created by a Citizens UK leader from London; Solidarity with migrants and taking a visible stand against racism via the Safety Pin Campaign .

Some of our communities are feeling vulnerable and unwelcome as a result of recent developments and we want to stress that as Nottingham Citizens we stand alongside them in the spirit of unity, inclusivity and the common good.

We believe everyone should be treated with dignity and respect no matter who they are, where they come from or what their background is. We are committed to tackling all forms of hate crime robustly and encourage those who experience it to report it – so that our city continues to be a great, peaceful and diverse city.

We realise that a public statement such as this is a vital first step, but that there may be other subsequent steps we want to take as an alliance. Please do email me at luke@heartchurch.co.uk if you have any comments or suggestions on what those could be.

Yours with thanks on behalf of the Leadership Group of Nottingham Citizens.

Luke Goss
Co-Chair, Nottingham Citizens