Wakefield Council shares plans to reduce hate crime in recognition of Islamophobia Awareness Month

Islamophobia Awareness Month has reached a decade of alerting people to prejudice against Muslims after being founded in 2012 by a group of Muslim organisations.

The month has become a huge factor in raising awareness and dealing with the racial prejudice and hate crime Muslims face daily.

Recently, the government’s National Statistics of Hate Crime in England has shown that over the past year, the majority of hate crimes were racially motivated, accounting for over two-thirds of all such offences.

Now, Wakefield Council has shared how the authority aims to tackle the growing issue.

Earlier this year, the council adopted the All-Party Parliamentary Groups definition of Islamophobia after Wakefield East Ward councillor Akef Akbar launched a motion.

Coun Maureen Cummings, Cabinet Member for Communities, Poverty and Health at Wakefield Council, said: “Islamophobia is a form of hate crime which is abhorrent and has no place in our district.

“As part of these next steps the Council is reaching out to Mosques within the district to explore how we as a Council can help in raising the issues around Islamophobia.

“There’s no place for hate behaviour and hate crime in our district. We are here to support all residents and communities, and to play our part in tackling hate crime, and discrimination, and to stand up for the rights of everyone to feel safe and to live without fear.”