'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
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Israel vows military operation 'in the very near future' following Hamas attack
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Panamanians vote in election dominated by former president who was barred from running
Panamanians began voting Sunday in an election that has been consumed by unfolding drama surrounding the country’s former president, even though he is not on the ballot.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Denial and uncertainty are looming over a Biden-Trump rematch 6 months out from U.S. Election Day
Exactly six months before Election Day, Biden and Trump are locked in the first contest in 112 years with a current and former president competing for the White House. It's a race that is at once deeply entrenched and highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 campaign.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.