National Hate Crime Awareness Week starts this Saturday (October 9) and Tameside Council will be raising awareness.

There will be a hate crime awareness stand at the Wellbeing Corner in Ashton Market Hall where everyone will be welcome to discuss hate crime, find out more about it, share experiences or just say hello.

Refuse vehicles will also be sporting the slogan ‘Too Great for Hate’ and a link to the Let’s End Hate Crime webpage.  

During the week, the council’s community cohesion officer is going to be working with the borough’s communities and groups, including those that support people who are living with learning and physical disabilities.  

They’re encouraging anyone who has been a victim of or a witness to a hate crime to report it rather than look away.  

Hate crimes are acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are or who someone thinks they are. They can include verbal and online abuse, physical attacks, criminal damage and more.  

Cllr Allison Gwynne, Tameside Council’s executive member for neighbourhoods, added: “Tameside is a friendly, tolerant and welcoming place where people from a wide variety of backgrounds live together in harmony and support each other. Yet sadly we do have instances of hate crime. 

“Everyone has the right to feel safe, so we all have a responsibility to take a stand against hatred and discrimination. If we see hate crime, it’s our duty to report it.  

“It can only be defeated if we stand together against it. That’s what hate crime awareness week is all about.” 

Report hate crime by calling the police on 101, on the website www.report-it.org.uk or through www.letsendhatecrime.com  

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