Spikes in hate crime happen against backdrop of communities coming together

National Police Chiefs Council Lead for Hate Crime, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said:

"We know that terrorist attacks and other national and global events have the potential to trigger short-term spikes in the recording of hate crime. For this reason, we have increased the central reporting of hate crimes from police forces so that we can identify trends and assess threats.

"Following the attacks in Manchester and London, both police forces registered spikes in hate crime. As we have seen following other events, these levels do return to normal in the days and weeks that follow and this has already been registered in Manchester though it is still too early to tell in London. We remain committed to helping people feel safe and secure as they go about their lives so police officers are working tirelessly with communities across the country to strengthen ties and deal with any tensions that may have been triggered by the threat of terrorism.

"Nobody should have to face violence and intimidation because of who they are and it is more important than ever that we stand together in the face of hostility. We may see spikes in intolerance and hate but we are also seeing communities around the country come together as we refuse to be divided by fear.

"Far too many hate crimes still go unreported so we continue to urge anyone feeling vulnerable to get in touch with the police on 101 or using our True Vision website (www.report-it.org.uk)."