Working together to end hate

Police Cadets with Sajjad Miah (Principal Community Cohesion & Equality Officer, Rochdale Borough Council) & PCSO Colin Taylor at Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre

Rochdale Borough Council and Greater Manchester Police have been raising awareness of hate crime and how to report it as part of a national campaign.

Police and council officers visited community groups and venues across the borough, to make local residents aware of the various methods available to report crimes and what happens after a crime has been logged.

Seminars promoting community cohesion and offering participants community safety advice took place at Deeplish Community Centre on Hare Street, Rochdale.

Officers also attended a special Friday Night Project session at Heywood Sports Village, where young people discussed prejudice with guest speaker Hannah Kennedy-Jackson, one of the UK’s youngest professional speakers.

The awareness-raising campaign concluded with an information stall in the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre.

Councillor Daalat Ali, Rochdale Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community, said “We do not tolerate hate crime in our borough. Nobody should ever face hostility or prejudice because of who they are. Our aim is to end hate crime altogether and I strongly believe that the work we are doing to raise awareness will help us to achieve this goal. I would like to urge anybody who feels they’ve been a victim of hate crime to take that first brave step and report it.”

Hate crimes and incidents can be reported online at www.report-it.org.uk or to the police on 101. In an emergency always call 999.