Extra police could be placed at mosques in west London as police move to reassure those who feel worried and vulnerable about their safety as they gather in their places of worship.
Metropolitan Police say the move comes in wake of the London Bridge terror attacks on Saturday June 3, and amid an increase in hate crime reported in the capital since the attacks.
Chief superintendent Dave Stringer, head of community engagement for the force, said he wants “to reassure local people that they are able to go about their daily lives in peace and without fear of harassment or intimidation”.
He said officers will be visible at places of worship for different faiths in the capital, just two days after Scotland Yard revealed on June 7 it has made 25 hate crime arrests since the terror attack which claimed the lives of eight people.
Mr Stringer said: “Over the next few days, communities of different faiths will congregate across London to celebrate their holy days.
“We know many will reflect on the terrible events of last Saturday evening in their readings and prayers but also that some will feel worried and vulnerable about their safety as they gather in their places of worship.
“To help support these communities, we have increased the number of officers on the streets to reassure local people that they are able to go about their daily lives in peace and without fear of harassment or intimidation.
“Dedicated Ward Officers are making contact with their local places of worship to encourage them to report hate crimes and to reassure those who congregate there that the police will take these crimes seriously."
He acknowledged hate crime remained largely under-reported but said the police and its partners were determined to bring perpetrators to justice.
“We would appeal to anyone who witnesses or suffers any hate of any type to immediately report it so that action can quickly be taken and catch those responsible,” he added.
His comments come days after Hounslow’s top cop also vowed to crack down on hate crime .
Hate crime can be reported through 999 in an emergency, or dialling 101 in a non-emergency.
It can also be reported directly at a police station, through the MOPAC Hate Crime app or through community reporting methods such as Tell MAMA, Galop, or the CST.
Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.
You can set up your app to see all the latest news and events from your area, plus receive push notifications for breaking news.
Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android .
