Statement on National Hate Crime Awareness Week

Statement from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Adam Hug on Friday 18 October.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is more pertinent than ever following the appalling events seen during the summer, which again highlighted the shameful prevalence of hate crimes. Politicians have a responsibility to promote cohesion rather than sow division and inflame tensions. We must challenge hateful sentiment head on, in order to ensure that such scenes do not occur again. 

The week ahead is an important opportunity to show solidarity with those affected by hate crime, and to underline the ambition to rid society of prejudice and discrimination. I am proud to be standing alongside many local government colleagues and leaders across the UK in support of this campaign. 

My hope is for Westminster to be a City where everyone feels welcome, regardless of ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or disability. I am proud that it is home to people from across the world as well hosting, in Soho, a historic and symbolic home for the UK’s LGBTQ+ community.  Everyone who lives, works and studies here should feel able to live without fear. 

I would like to encourage people who are subjected to, or witness harmful or hateful incidents in the borough, to report it to the Police and seek help from our community partners. The impacts of hate crime can be devastating and we are here to offer support where possible to victims, their families and loved ones. This council will continue to celebrate our diverse communities and our differences, as well as those things that unite us. We will always strive to improve the support our communities receive. There is not, and never will be, a place for hate in Westminster.