Rising Tide of Hate Crimes: A Deep Dive into UK's Alarming Statistics
Hate crimes in England and Wales increased in the year ending March, with racial and religiously motivated incidents rising. Anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish crimes were notably high. In response, police have heightened patrols at key religious sites. Despite an 18% drop in Jewish-targeted crimes, reporting changes affect total data clarity.
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- United Kingdom
Hate crime incidents recorded by police in England and Wales rose over the past year, according to recent data from the UK Home Office. A sharp increase in religiously aggravated and racially motivated cases was noted, with the majority targeting race and religious communities.
A total of 115,990 hate crimes were logged, marking a 2% increase over the previous year. Race-related offences accounted for 71% of these, while religious hate offenses were 7,164. Anti-Muslim incidents hit a record 4,478, with anti-Jewish at 2,873. In response, UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced heightened security around religious centers following a high-profile terrorist incident in Manchester.
Despite an 18% reduction in Jewish-targeted hate crimes, a change in reporting systems at the Metropolitan Police leaves some data incomplete. Meanwhile, hate crimes based on sexual orientation and disability saw declines, reflecting a complex but hopeful shift in societal attitudes.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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