After releasing a disappointing policing plan, Mayor of London makes a start on hate crime policing group called for by CAA
Having released a disappointing policing plan, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has launched the beginnings of a hate crime policing group recommended by Campaign Against Antisemitism.
The Metropolitan Police Service does not currently have a dedicated force-wide hate crime team, but Sadiq Khan today announced an online hate crime unit staffed by five officers who will gather intelligence on online abusers on social media as well as improving support for victims. The unit is reported to cost £1.7m over two years, and will be partly funded by the Home Office.
We welcome this initiative which is consistent with the proposals we have made to the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. We hope that the unit will receive additional staff so that it can cope with the constant flow of online crime, and the volunteers of our Crime Unit look forward to working with the new police team.
Antisemitic hatred has gone unchecked online for too long. Jews should not have to suffer in silence, and we hope to see an increase in prosecutions for online hate crime.