18/03/2024 - Luton says no to hate

On 15 March 2019 a gunman entered two mosques and murdered 51 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand. The perpetrator was also convicted of attempting to murder a further 40 individuals. For his terrorist actions he was sentenced to life imprisonment with no hope of parole.

In the light of his shocking acts the United Nations has designated the anniversary of this horrific event as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

On Friday the council was part of a community-wide round table discussion on how we can tackle this important issue together. Attended by both MPs, the Chief Exec and Chief Constable, as well as a broad range of education, voluntary community and faith leaders, the roundtable heard first hand from young people about how Islamophobia has affected their lives and that of their families and peers.

The meeting reviewed progress made, and explored shared actions and commitments around tackling hate crime, making our communities safe spaces for debate, and the current impacts of the crisis in Gaza.

Hazel Simmons MBE, leader of the council, said: “The events at Christchurch five years ago were a reminder to us all of the constant need to be vigilant. Men, women and children murdered in their place of worship for one reason… because they were Muslims. Those evil actions against one group of people, simply because of who they are, will never be tolerated.

“The world continually faces the challenge to transcend differences and show understanding and love, rather than hatred. Sadly, this is not always an easy path, but it is one we are utterly committed to as a town. One of Luton’s greatest strengths is the diversity of its communities. It is really important that whatever tensions and concerns there may be, that each one of us is able to exchange views in a spirit of respect and civility, free from hatred and incitement.

“On the International Day to Combat Islamophobia we stood together with our friends, colleagues and partners to say ‘there is no place for hate in Luton.’”

Deputy Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic said: “A real strength of Bedfordshire is our rich diversity and myriad of cultures and communities. We recognise the impact that world events can have on those communities and are very aware that some will use recent events to try to divide or stir up hatred.

“We will not tolerate such behaviour and are committed to tackling any form of hate to maintain the harmony we have within Bedfordshire. It is crucial we stand together and work to tackle Islamophobia at all levels.

“I would encourage anyone who has been victim of any form of hate crime to contact police so we can build a better understanding of this issue and work with our communities and partners to combat hatred.”

The council is committed to monitoring Islamophobic data. We have engaged with communities throughout the town to discuss our Fairness Strategy, and as a result combatting hate crime is a specific theme in our new four-year Community Safety Partnership Plan currently being finalised.

We are working hard to learn more about how the issue of hate crime affects our citizens and how we can work with the police and other partners to create a truly fair society in Luton.

We all have a role to play in the fight against hate crime. If you’re aware of hate crime, you can report it at Bedfordshire Police. You can also email [email protected] with details or contact the Bedfordshire Community Mediation Service.