Hate Crime Awareness Week

EDM number 534 in 2016-17, proposed by Anne McLaughlin on 12/10/2016.
Categorised under the topics of Equality and Racial discrimination.

That this House welcomes the attention that Hate Crime Awareness Week gives to the impact of crimes that are motivated by prejudice of some kind, where the victim is targeted because they are a member of a particular social group or have a particular characteristic, which the perpetrator has negative views or beliefs, for example prejudice based on race, including nationality, ethnicity and skin colour, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity; notes the recent report by Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion; regrets that hatred and prejudice continue to have very serious consequences for people and communities across society; recognises that hate crime is a threat to the basic values of an open democratic society; considers addressing prejudice and hate crime is therefore not only an issue for minorities or those who are targeted but must be a priority concern for the whole of society; applauds the work by Glasgow Community Safety and the Scottish Government in challenging prejudice and hate crime within the Scottish Strategy for Justice; further notes that hate crimes in Scotland fell in the aftermath of the referendum on membership of the EU despite a 14 per cent rise being recorded across the UK as a whole; and believes change will require political leadership, legal support and public policy and calls on all those in a position of influence including politicians and the media to exercise respect and sensitivity with regards to minority groups and to commit to actively discourage those who commit or ignore hate crimes.

This motion has been signed by a total of 45 MPs.