National Hate Crime Awareness Week Ends in London - October 2018

Hundreds of hate crime activists attended the annual St Paul’s service last Sunday, high point of the 8th National Hate Crime Awareness Week, an event needed in a country where hate crimes have increased by 100% since 2016 and the rise of terrorist attacks in Europe, according to the Independant.

Fighting for a better England, Mark Healey founded 17-24-30 No To Hate Crime in March 2009 in order to ‘’stand with those affected by hate crime’’ by supporting victims and their families all around the country. One of the organisation’s volunteers highlights the urge to improve as a society. ‘’London is changing. Look at Bermondsey 20 years ago! It was horrible. Now every borough is slowly getting more mixed. It’s taking time but it’s on its way, even with Brexit around the corner and people saying terrible things to people. We’re doing the best we can for people, and you can help too.’’

Healey came up with the idea as a way to honour the victims of the simultaneous nail bomb attacks in Soho, Brick Lane and Brixton on their 10th anniversary. The very first events included a candlelit vigil in Trafalgar Square attended by over 10.000 people to mourn Ian Bayhnam, the 62-year-old victim of a brutal homophobic murder in 2009. Healey’s initiative leaded him to be awarded the title of Point of Light by David Cameron in 2015.

The organisation, in addition to the Awareness Week, raises funds for the victims, works closely with mayors of various British cities including Sadiq Khan in London, organises talks in schools and engages with the public as much as possible.

This past week, volunteers have also been meeting locals in London markets. One of them, a victim-turned-activist, acknowledges that, ‘’every borough is doing something to help’’ whether regarding Islamophobia, racism, homophobia ; any kind of discrimination.

For more information, the organisation has a website

nationalhcaw.uk

Or you can follow Mark Healey on Twitter

@afriendly_bloke