Police visit over 300 businesses for Hate Crime Awareness Week
Following Hate Crime Awareness Week, Lancashire Constabulary have urged anyone who witnesses or experiences a hate crime to report it to police.
Hundreds of businesses in South Lancashire welcomed visits from police last week to raise awareness of hate crimes.
Officers from Preston, Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire visited 311 businesses to speak with staff about how to recognise hate crimes, as well as how to report incidents and support victims.
It was all part of Operation Hail, where officers spoke to shops, schools, taxi ranks, healthcare settings, and more as part of Hate Crime Awareness Week (October 10 - 17).
They said hate crimes had been highlighted as an “issue of concern” on the police priority survey.
A hate crime is defined as any criminal offence that is perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on disability, race, religion, transgender identity, or sexual orientation.
It also includes causing harassment, alarm, or distress.
Meanwhile, incidents which don’t meet the criteria for hate crimes - but are wholly or partly motivated by a victim’s protected characteristic - can be recorded as non-crime hate incidents and logged by police.
Lancashire Constabulary have urged anyone who witnesses or experiences a hate crime to report it to police.
They can do so via 999,101, or Lancashire Police’s hate crime portal, or anonymously via Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.