Lib Dems: Religious hate crime on the rise “demands response”

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Responding to the latest hate crime statistics, which show a 3% increase in religious hate crime over the year, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Women and Equalities Marie Goldman said:

“These figures are deeply worrying and a damning indictment of the spread of antisemitism, Islamophobia and wider hatred in our society. This demands a response from all of us.

“The awful events of last week including the terror attack on the Manchester Synagogue and the arson attack at a Sussex Mosque did not happen in a vacuum. Those who spread hatred, who incite violence, must face the full force of the law. So much vile content is allowed to spread unchecked on social media platforms. Elon Musk and other owners must step up and take responsibility for removing this hateful content.

“Right now, communities up and down the country are increasingly worried by the rise of this behaviour. No one should have to live in fear simply because of who they are.”

“Liberal Democrats want to see proper reform of existing powers so that the criminals and hate preachers are targeted and brought to justice. We need to see  a return to proper community policing to reassure communities, and we desperately need political leadership that brings people together.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

National hate crime statistics can be found here