Hate crimes
Hate crime and the law
Hate crime in all its forms is unlawful. This includes:
- personal attacks of any kind, including violence
- written or verbal threats or insults, harassment and name calling
- damage to property, including graffiti
- threatening or abusive phone calls, text messages, emails, instant messages and messages sent in chat rooms
All hate crime is a matter for the police. We'll help you report it, point you towards any support you may need and do all we can to bring those responsible to justice.
What happens to people who are caught doing hate crimes?
If a young person is caught taking part in hate crime of any kind, it may lead to them being arrested. If they are subsequently warned, cautioned or charged and put before the courts they may receive a criminal record which could prevent them from getting certain types of jobs.
How to report hate crime
Every London borough has a team of specially trained officers, in the local specialist Community Safety Units, whose task is to investigate these crimes, and give people the support they need.
Find out here how to get in touch with yours 24-hours-a-day.
You can also report some hate crimes to non-police organisations such as those listed below. For more information visit our ‘More help and advice’ page.