Yvette Cooper is considering strengthening hate crime laws to tackle antisemitic and Islamophobic abuse, despite fears growing about the possible curtailing of free speech.
The Home Secretary is understood to be considering a new “zero-tolerance” approach, which would see police officers encouraged to record more non-criminal hate incidents.
The move would be a reversal of changes to the laws brought in last year by the Tories, who issued new guidance that ordered the force to stop recording incidents just because someone was offended.
Coming into effect in June 2023, officers are currently restricted to only recording incidents motivated by “intentional hostility” and “where there is a “real risk of escalation causing significant harm or a criminal offence”.
The changes were implemented in a bid to preserve free speech after concerns were raised it was being curtailed.
One “trivial” case included a man accusing his neighbour of racial hatred after he whistled the Bob the Builder theme tune at him, whilst a student who was added to police files after scuffing a copy of the Quran caused Suella Braverman to act and implement the changes.
However, Labour believes the current guidance stops police officers from monitoring tensions and threats towards Jewish and Muslim communities.
Home Office sources have insisted that incidents would only be recorded where “proportionate and necessary” and that free speech would be protected.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel last year, there has been a sharp increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the UK
REUTERS
A spokesperson for the Government department said: “The Home Office has committed to reverse the decision of the previous Government to downgrade the monitoring of anti-semitic and Islamophobic hate, at a time when rates of those incidents have increased.
“It is vital that the police can capture data relating to non-crime hate incidents when it is proportionate and necessary to do so in order to help prevent serious crimes which may later occur.
“We are carefully considering how best to protect individuals and communities from hate whilst also balancing the need to protect the fundamental right to free speech.”
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel last year, there has been a sharp increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the UK.
Suella Braverman introduced the changes last year
PA
Antisemitic episodes hit a record of 4,103 last year, which was double the previous year’s high, while Islamophobic incidents tripled to 2,010.
Before the July 4 election, Cooper spoke about the “disturbing rise” in abuse following October 7.
“There is no place for hatred or prejudice on Britain’s streets,” she said.
“There must be zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and for the hateful vitriol that devastates lives and corrodes communities here in the UK.
“That’s why Labour is calling for stronger action to tackle and monitor hate to ensure that events unfolding internationally do not increase tensions or sow the seeds of hatred here in our communities.”
