Hate crime

Report a hate crime

Anyone can report a Hate crime. 

Contact the police to report a hate crime, in an emergency you should always call 999

• If it is not an emergency call 101
• If you have a hearing or speech impairment MPS Text Phone Service:
  • For emergencies text 18000 to 999
  • For non-emergencies text 18001 to 101
• make an online report
• You can also report to your landlord or housing provider (if appropriate).

You can report an incident anonymously. However, we do encourage victims to provide personal details that can help with the investigation.

What is a hate crime?

Hate crime is any criminal offence where anyone believes the victim has been targeted because of their:

• disability
• race or ethnic identity
• religion/belief
• gender or gender identity
• sexual orientation
• age
• immigration status or nationality
• or any other actual or perceived difference.

Hate crime behaviours can include

• physical attacks – pushing and shoving to serious assaults
• verbal abuse – using derogatory or insulting words 
• threatening behaviour, bullying and intimidation 
• damage to property – including offensive graffiti
• harassment
• malicious communications – threatening or offensive mail, texts or emails 
• damage to property and violence
• hate can also be directed at whole communities – for example, vandalism of places of worship, or offensive graffiti in public places.

Hate incidents

Are incidents that do not constitute a criminal offence but cause alarm, distress or harassment where anyone believes the victim has been targeted because of their race/ethnicity, religion/belief, gender/gender identity, disability, age, sexual orientation or any other actual or perceived difference.

Support services are still operating during the coronavirus pandemic

Local support

National support

Other specialist services

What we do

We work closely with the police and other agencies to prevent all forms of hate crime, take action against offenders and support and protect victims. We encourage anyone who is the victim of, or witness to, hate crime to report it immediately. This is vital to ensure that offenders are brought to justice – we will not tolerate hate crime.

Pledge against hate

Do you want to end hate in Tower Hamlets? Do you want to contribute to creating an environment where everyone can enjoy living, working and visiting Tower Hamlets - free from fear, intimidation and attack?

The 'No Place for Hate Campaign Pledge' was launched December 10, 2008, World Human Rights Day and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Everyone has a part to play. Organisations and individuals can sign the pledge against hate. The No Place for Hate Campaign Pledge will strengthen our commitment to eradicate hate in Tower Hamlets.

It is often those who are most vulnerable in our communities that suffer alone and in silence. Our goal is to build ‘One Tower Hamlets’ where there is a strong spirit of community and people from different backgrounds get on well together.

We must not allow any room for complacency. Sadly, there are still some who hurt, intimidate and threaten others because of hatred and prejudice. This is never acceptable.

We hope that agencies providing services to the local community and individual people in Tower Hamlets will be prepared to support and sign the Pledge to make a public condemnation of hate. Join the pledge today, make your public condemnation of hate and find out how you can contribute to making No Place for Hate a reality.

Together we can make Tower Hamlets No Place for Hate

• Personal pledge
• Organisational pledge