Police issue warning over Manchester hate crime increase
More hate crimes reported over last few days.
Greater Manchester police say they won't tolerate hate crime after a spate of incidents in the past few days.
A video of a man being racially abused on a tram went viral and police say further attacks have been reported.
Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling said: “Over the last few days there has been a small increase in the number of hate incidents reported to Greater Manchester Police.
“While we cannot categorically say whether the increase is related to any particular event. I wish to make it absolutely clear that all hate crime is unacceptable and even a small increase is of concern to us. It is really important that we have an accurate picture of hate crime in Greater Manchester so that we can deal with it in the most effective way possible.
“So, I now want to make a wider appeal to the people of Greater Manchester – where you see it, report it.
“We suspect that the majority of hate crimes, like several crime types, go unreported, which is why it’s vital that people tell us about what has happened to them. Also, I would urge anyone with mobile footage of suspected hate crimes to report it to the police rather than just share it on social media platforms – unless police officers are made aware they cannot investigate it and catch offenders.
“Also, many people in our communities will be feeling anxious right now as a result of the perception that a small number of people are using recent events to give ill-judged legitimacy to their hate-filled views.
"What’s happening in Greater Manchester appears to reflect a national picture that has emerged in recent days. True Vision, the national online reporting site, has told us they have received some disgraceful examples of racial abuse around the country this week.