Officers in Westminster will ramp up their fight against homophobia this weekend.
Police in the borough are supporting International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) on Sunday (May 17).
Special events and community activities arranged by Detectives Inspector James McEvoy and Westminster LGBT liaison officer PC Tatjana Arsoba will form part of the special day, helping to celebrate diversity within communities in Westminster and also to raise awareness and to encourage victims of hate crime to come forward to help police tackle hate crime.
Westminster Superintendent and LGBT Liaison officer Ray Rogers said: “Westminster police, along with our partners, take hate crime extremely seriously and we are committed to bring those who commit these crimes to justice.
“Being targeted because you are from the LGBT community is simply wrong and needs to be stopped. The effects of hate crime can cause long-term harm and are far reaching. This is not only distressing for the victim but also for their family, friends and communities.
“We are proud to be supporting IDHAOT Day. It is a fantastic opportunity for us to engage with the community and raise awareness that hate crime is taken seriously and that nobody should suffer from abuse or harm in silence.
“Perpetrators will be dealt with robustly and they are likely to face tougher sentences in the courts because they have committed a hate crime. However if police don’t know about it, we can’t prevent things from getting worse.
“So please report it, even if you’re not sure it’s actually a crime. Don’t suffer in silence.”
