Forward Thinking attends “Islington Together against Hate Crime” meeting on 29th November 2016

Forward Thinking attended a public meeting at Finsbury Park Mosque where the mosque in partnership with a range of local services (Islington Council, Islington Police, Islington Hate Crime Forum, City & Islington College and Islington Faith Forum) came together to discuss the issue of hate crime. The aim of the meeting was to explore how the various services can work to reduce hate crime and encourage communities to come forward to feel safe and secure in reporting instances of hate crime. The event included speakers from diverse backgrounds and service, including Jeremy Corbyn MP for Islington. The evening highlighted the effect that recent events such - as Brexit and the recent US presidential elections - have had on hate crime, which appears to have increased. The speakers underlined the need for greater inter-communal cooperation to deal with these concerns and a need to educate young people on hate crime. Methods for reporting and confronting individuals who spread hate were also discussed. The consensus of the meeting was that in order to deal with hate crime, the individuals who spread it must be held to account.