Taking action to end hate crime

The borough of Rochdale is coming together wit​h the rest of Greater Manchester to take a stand against hate crime as part of the fifth annual Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Rochdale Borough Council alongside Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and other community groups will be holding awareness raising events across the borough to challenge perceptions, encourage reporting and promote tolerance and respect.

The week will launch on Monday 6 February 2017 with a wheelchair rugby match between the Rochdale Hornets Wheelchair Rugby Team and representative from the council, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group (HMR CCG) and GMP to highlight disability awareness.

Residents are encouraged to go along to events to find out more and get any support they may need.

• Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 February 2017, 10am – 3pm at Tesco, Barton Road, Middleton
• Thursday 9 February 2017, 10am - 4pm at the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre, Newgate, Rochdale
• Thursday 9 February 2017, 9am - 2pm at Co-op, Station Road, Littleborough
• Friday 10 February 2017, 10am – 3pm at Morrisons, Dawson Street, Heywood
• Officers will also be on hand at the week's Veterans' Breakfast Club at Rochdale Town Hall on Thursday 9 February from 9am – 10am.

Councillor Daalat Ali, Rochdale Borough Council's cabinet member for neighbourhoods and community, said: "Hostility, prejudice or hatred towards somebody because of who they are is never acceptable and we will not tolerate it. Together with our partners we are working very hard to raise awareness of hate crime to stop it from happening and support victims to take that first brave step and report it. Our aim is to end hate crime altogether so everyone living or visiting our borough can feel safe."

This year there will also have a particular focus on hate crime directed at alternative subcultures such as goths, emos or punks. Vibe Youth Music Project in Rochdale will broadcasting discussions on the subject and promoting how people can report incident or get support should they need it.

This work will also be supported by adverts and live interviews on Crescent Radio as well targeted poster and social media campaigns.

Events will be taking place across Greater Manchester to raise awareness of hate crime, encourage reporting and bring communities together to challenge it. There will also be a hard-hitting radio campaign to challenge perceptions of what hate crime is and urge people to speak out.

Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has allocated £10,000 to each local authority area to support hate crime work in the community.

Greater Manchester mayor and police and crime commissioner Tony Lloyd: "Hate crime destroys lives and divides communities. It has no place in Greater Manchester – a proud, diverse region that welcomes people who stand for hope, not for hate, no matter who they are, where they're from, who they love or what they believe.

"This week is a powerful show of what can be achieved when we all stand together against hatred and prejudice, bringing communities together to celebrate our diversity and encourage tolerance and respect."

To report hate crime and find out what's happening in your area to tackle it, visit Let's ​End Hate Crime You can also report it by calling police on 101.