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This Article is From Jul 26, 2016

UK Orders Review Into Post-Brexit Hate Crime Rise

UK Orders Review Into Post-Brexit Hate Crime Rise
Hate crimes peaked at 289 on 25 June, the day after the referendum result. (File Photo)
London: Britain today ordered a scoping review into the police handling of hate crimes after a sharp rise in such cases in the wake of the Brexit vote last month.

Britain's new home secretary, Amber Rudd announced that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) will analyse how forces in England and Wales respond to such crimes after recent figures showed there have been more than 6,000 reports of hate crime to police since June 23, when Britain voted to leave the European Union (EU).

The review will also look at how hate crime and abuse is handled in schools.

It is part of a package of measures that ministers say will improve how hate crime is tackled.

"This government is determined to build a Britain that works for everyone," she said.

"Those who practise hatred send out a message that it's ok to abuse and attack others because of their nationality, ethnicity or religious background. That it's ok to disregard our shared values and promote the intolerance that causes enormous harm to communities and individuals."

"Well, I have a very clear message for them. We will not stand for it. Hatred has no place whatsoever in a 21st century Great Britain that works for everyone," said the home secretary, appointed by British Prime Minister Theresa May earlier this month.

"We are Great Britain because we are united by values such as democracy, free speech, mutual respect and opportunity for all. We are the sum of all our parts - a proud, diverse society. Hatred does not get a seat at the table, and we will do everything we can to stamp it out," she added.

Rudd has commissioned HMIC to carry out a "scoping study" into forces' understanding of and response to hate crime of all types, including crimes against the disabled.

"That will help to give confidence, to give reassurance, and also to make sure communities who feel they're experiencing too much hate crime are able to get that confidence back from the police that it's being addressed," she said.

A 2.4-million-pounds fund is also planned for security measures at places of worship around the country.

Figures released last week hard revealed that the daily rate of hate crimes peaked at 289 on 25 June, the day after the referendum result was announced.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) figures released earlier this month showed it was prosecuting a record number of 15,442 hate crimes in 2015-16 - a 4.8 per cent rise on the previous year.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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