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Christchurch terror attack: 593 per cent increase in hate crimes in UK

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 26 Mar 2019, 7:03AM
UK charity Tell Mama said there were 95 incidents reported on the day of the killings. Photo / Getty Images

Christchurch terror attack: 593 per cent increase in hate crimes in UK

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 26 Mar 2019, 7:03AM

A UK charity says they have seen a 593 per cent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes since the Christchurch terror attack.

While Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she hasn't been advised of the same thing happening here, she is urging people who have been threatened to report it to police.

UK charity Tell Mama said there were 95 incidents reported on the day of the killings.

Director Iman Atta told Kate Hawkesby 85 of those contained direct references to Christchurch.

"It's quite shocking to see such a spike following the Christchurch attacks."

"We do tend to see a spike in anti-Muslim hatred following terrorist attacks. That is something we see because it's not only the terrorist attacks that drive the spike, it's also headlines, it's also activism, it's social media as well...but given that Christchurch was an attack on the Muslim community, what we have seen is that the hate has still come out following the attack."

She said the hatred directed towards the Muslim community is perverse. 

"The attack itself took the lives of 50 Muslim members of the community, nevertheless the hate on Muslim communities is still on the rise."

"Seeing the communities that have been attacked, are the ones continuing to be attacked and seeing the impacts it's having...has been extremely worrying."

Tell Mama works closely with law enforcement, however, Iman Atta said the majority of victims don't want to involve the police. 

"Some of the incidents that took place on street level, victims and specifically females victims don't always feel comfortable going forward to police forces."

She said the attacks have been devastating and "very stressful" for those involved.

People are often more aware of hate crimes following attacks as well, she said.

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