'We don't know what we don't know': Police chief encourages reporting of hate incidents as London, Ont. sees surge in 2020
London police Chief Steve Williams says there has been a gradual increase in hate crimes reported in London over the past several years. But he says a noticeable surge took place in 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May of 2020.
“And I think that’s partially due to more awareness in the community,” he explained in an interview with CTV News last week after the deadly attack on a Muslim family June 6.
“I think it’s also due to less tolerance,” he added. “As eduation and awareness of - what is a hate crime, what is a hate-motivated crime, people are less tolerant - and I think that’s good. So if they are reporting more incidents, and our officers are trained to identify these incidents, then that’s a good thing.”
His comments come as the London Police Service will release its annual report on hate crimes at the London Police Services Board meeting Thursday.
In the report, a hate crime is defined as constituting a criminal act, such as hate-related violence. Alternatively, a hate incident is more closely related to behaviour, but is not necessarily criminal in nature. That could include hostile speech.
Police say that in 2020 there were 44 hate crimes, up from 30 in 2019. Also in 2020, there were 49 hate incidents, up from 31 the previous year.
The group most targeted in hate occurrences was Blacks, accounting for 28 in total in 2020, compared to 13 the year before. The majority (20) of the 28 in 2020 came after the killing of George Floyd.
Williams urges reporting of incidents.
“We don’t know what we don’t know,” he said. “Domestic violence is a good comparator. A lot of it’s not reported. And that’s the same with hate crimes- people don’t report always. So, part of our job is the education and awareness piece.”
He said individual groups have to be comfortable coming forward, and reporting to police.
The annual report comes as London city council passed a motion Monday to officially condemn Islamaphobia, and take steps to combat hate.
“I’m here to call out my own city,” said an emotional Councillor Mo Salih in addressing his colleagues. “London, we have a problem.”
The motion, passed unanimously by council, makes a commitment to end Islamaphobia, and to determine a way to honour the victims of last week’s truck attack. Council is also calling for a national action summit on Islamaphobia.
“White supremacy, racism, and Islamophobia kills. Period. I am asking each of you to say enough is enough, I’m asking you to never be a bystander. Hold our city accountable.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
For the first time in report's history, Canada's air quality worse than U.S.
Air quality in Canada is now worse than in the U.S., according to the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report. Of the 15 most polluted cities in the two countries, 14 were in Canada.
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
WATCH LIVE As former prime minister Mulroney lies in state, public tributes in Ottawa begin
Members of the public who wish to pay tribute to Brian Mulroney can visit his casket in Ottawa starting this afternoon.
BREAKING Roy McMurtry, former Ontario attorney general, dies at 91
CTV News has confirmed that former Ontario attorney general Roy McMurtry has died.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Images taken deep inside melted Fukushima reactor show damage, but leave many questions unanswered
Images taken by miniature drones from deep inside a badly damaged reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant show displaced control equipment and misshapen materials but leave many questions unanswered, underscoring the daunting task of decommissioning the plant.
DEVELOPING February inflation rate slows to 2.8% as price growth unexpectedly eases
Canada's annual inflation rate unexpectedly fell to 2.8 per cent last month, amid sharp declines in cellular and internet services as well as slower grocery price growth.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.