Sandwell Council Deputy Leader Councillor Maria Crompton has joined with the Safer Sandwell Partnership in signing up to an anti-hate crime pledge to 'Say No To Hate' as part of the annual Safer 6 campaign.
Speaking about the pledge Councillor Crompton said: “There’s no excuse whatsoever for being violent towards someone just because they are perceived to be ‘different’. That’s why I’m backing the Hate Crime Pledge.
“It’s important that if someone feels they have been the victim of a hate crime, that there are proper ways to report that and tackle it in an appropriate manner, quickly and effectively, as well as giving them the support they need.
“There is strength in unity and we should be coming together to celebrate our differences, and not tolerate those that use them as an excuse for violence and hate.”
What is hate crime?
A hate crime is hostility against a person or a group of people where they have been targeted because of or their perceived:
- Race
- Faith
- Sexual Orientation
- Gender
- Disability
- Any other characteristic that is different to that of the perpetrator's or that which the perpetrator thinks is different
The council’s dedicated Hate Crime webpage at www.sandwell.gov.uk/hatecrime provides more information on what kind of crimes are hate crimes and what you can do to help victims of hate.
There are many ways for victims and witnesses to report a hate crime, for further information visit the council's Hate Crime webpage at: www.sandwell.gov.uk/hatecrime
In an emergency whereby you believe you or someone else in in immediate danger or at risk of harm, call the police on 999.
In a non-emergency, you can report a hate crime by calling the police on 101.
