Police in Sussex recorded a rise in hate crimes over the past year.
Nearly 3,800 offences were logged in the 12 months to March.
That’s an increase of about 450 compared with the previous year.
With more and more protests being carried out and laws changing, what makes a hate crime? A hate crime is any criminal offence that is motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person because of who they are, or who someone thinks they are. In the UK, hate crimes are recognised in law when they target someone based on one or more of five protected characteristics: race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or transgender identity.
Examples of hate crimes can include verbal abuse, threats, harassment, vandalism, physical assault, or online abuse. Even if an incident doesn’t involve violence, it can still be classed as a hate crime if it’s driven by prejudice or hostility.
The police also record hate incidents, which may not be crimes in themselves but can still cause harm or distress. Both hate crimes and hate incidents can be reported to the police, online, by phone, or through organisations such as Stop Hate UK and True Vision.
Hate crime laws are designed to recognise the deeper impact these offences have on victims and communities. Offenders who commit crimes motivated by hate can face tougher sentences under UK law.
Recent figures from the Home Office show that reported hate crimes have increased in recent years, with racial and religiously motivated offences remaining the most common. Authorities encourage anyone affected to come forward, stressing that every report helps build a clearer picture of where hate crimes are happening and helps communities stay safe.
So why is hate crime going up? It could be related to the usual topics seen in our news: immigration, brexit, flags, politics, and an emboldened view that some people believe they can say and do whatever they please because it's their right to do so. One person's truth is now another man's lies, a narrative where fact, fiction and conspiracy collide and no one wins.
Sussex Police takes part in National Hate Crime Awareness Week
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