Hackney’s Mayor highlighted this year’s theme, “Seeds of Change,” which inspires small actions to raise awareness and understanding of Islamophobia….reports Asian Lite News
Mayor of Hackney, Caroline Woodley and Cllr Fajana-Thomas OBE, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services, set out how Hackney is no place for hate.
“In Hackney, we celebrate our diversity and identity as a place where communities of different faiths and backgrounds live together in harmony. We’re proud of our work to be an actively anti-racist and “No Place for Hate” borough, where we stand against hate, discrimination and abuse of any kind and invest in anti-racist practices and community infrastructure to build greater cohesion and belonging.
“During this year’s Islamophobia Awareness Month, we are reaffirming our commitment to keeping all our residents safe from religious hatred, discrimination and violence. This year’s theme, “Seeds of Change,” encourages everyone to take small steps to help raise awareness about and deepen their understanding of Islamophobia. To support this, we invite you to explore our specially curated Islamophobia Awareness Month library reading list, which offers valuable insights into Islamic culture and individuals’ lived experiences.
“Over the past year, there has been a disturbing increase in Islamophobic hate crimes, as well as the shocking rise in far-right violence and disorder across the country with its focus on migrants and mosques. We are concerned that the horrific escalation of conflict and suffering in the Middle East has also led to anti-Muslim attacks and caused immense distress, fear and anger amongst Hackney residents, many of whom are directly impacted.
“We are doing everything we can with our police and community partners to respond swiftly to any incidents and support those affected. We know that hate crimes, especially those affecting our Muslim communities, often go unreported. To address this, we work with local residents, faith partners and Muslim organisations throughout the year to understand and respond to any concerns raised.
“We have also stepped up the number of enforcement and reassurance patrols we carry out in partnership with the police, focusing on more vulnerable areas, to take action against racist perpetrators. We have also recently organised a community meeting and co-hosted a series of hate crime awareness pop-up information stalls to chat to residents about the range of support that’s available.
“Within the Council, we are supporting staff to learn more about Islam and Islamophobia through our resources and workshops from not-for-profit organisation, Educate Against Islamophobia. We know that education is a key tool which we can use to combat racism and prejudice as it helps improve understanding and tackle misinformation.
“If you’ve been affected by Islamophobia or any other hate crime, please don’t suffer in silence – there are a range of services that can help you. You may feel anxious about reporting a hate crime or incident, or concerned that it will not make a difference, but every case helps us gather information and bring Islamophobic and racist perpetrators to justice.
“We work closely with the local police to tackle hate crimes, and support them to thoroughly investigate all hate crimes and work with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to ensure that those who commit these reprehensible offences face the full consequences of the law.”
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