What is a hate crime and how can you report it?

Nobody should have to feel afraid of being attacked or abused as they go about their daily lives.

Today, two men were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences after a ‘racist’ video emerged showing students allegedly shouting ‘we hate blacks’ outside a student’s door at Nottingham Trent University.

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A hate crime is any crime directed at a person because of their race, disability, sexuality, or sexual identity.

A victim does not have to be a member of the group which the hostility is targeted at for it to be a hate crime, and it can extend to an individual’s property as well as their person.

Call the police

CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 02: A police officer looks over the city from Cardiff Castle as preparations continue ahead of the 2014 Nato summit on September 2, 2014 in Cardiff, Wales. World leaders from the 28-nation Nato military alliance will visit the city on Wednesday and Thursday. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images) — If you in immediate danger, call 999 (Picture:Getty)

If you have seen or been the victim of a hate crime, then you can report it to the police, even if you are not a victim.

If the crime is not an emergency call 101 or contact your local police force.

Details of how to find your local police force can be found at www.police.uk

If you are in immediate danger then call 999.

Report it online

Demonstrators gather with placards during a protest called by the 'Stand Up To Racism' group in Croydon, south London, on April 8, 2017 following the suspected hate crime attack on a 17-year-old Kurdish Iranian asylum-seeker. The teenager was badly beaten by a group of around 20 people while he was at a bus stop with two friends outside a pub in Croydon on March 31. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS (Photo credit should read DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images) — Protestors gather in Croydon in south London in April 2017(Picture: AFP)

Another way to report a hate crime is through an online form provided by True Vision, which will provide you with a step-by-step form to help you report what has happened.

You can always visit the Citizen’s Advice Bureau or another third party who can also report the incident on your behalf and provide advice and support.

You can stay anonymous

If you do not want to speak to the police or you wish to remain anonymous, then you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or visit their website.

You do not have to give your name and what you say will remain confidential but it is worth bearing in mind that the more information you are able to give the better they are able to investigate.

According to statistics released by the Home Office, the number of hate crimes in England and Wales rose by 29% in 2017.

There were 80,393 offences in 2016-17, compared with 62,518 in 2015-16 – the largest increase since the Home Office began recording figures in 2011-12.

The biggest rise in the crimes being reported were disability and transgender hate crimes.

Of the hate crimes reported, racial crimes came highest, with 62,685 crimes reported (78%), 9,157 were sexual orientation hate crimes, (11%) and 5,558 were religious crimes (7%).