Hate crime and harassment

Ealing Council stands against hate crime. The council will always work with its partners to support and protect anyone who has been adversely affected by someone else's prejudice, ignorance or criminal acts.  A hate crime can occur if you think the person’s behaviour towards you was motivated by prejudice against you for a wide range of protected characteristics, including:

  • your race 
  • your religious beliefs or identity
  • your sexuality
  • a disability you may have
  • your gender identity

It is a hate crime if someone acts in a criminal manner towards you because of your identity (for example a person verbally abusing you and uses homophobic language or spraying racist graffiti). It is also a hate crime if a person acts in a criminal manner towards you owing to a mistaken belief about your identity, for example a person making abusive or threatening remarks to you because of a mistaken belief you are from a particular religious group.

If you have experienced something that was not a crime but you think it was motivated by prejudice against you, it is a hate incident.  

If you experience more than one hate incident by the same person or group of people, it may amount to harassment. For example, it may amount to harassment if someone on your street keeps shouting abuse at you. Harassment is a crime.  

Hate crime can take many forms, including:

  • verbal abuse
  • physical abuse
  • graffiti
  • criminal damage to your home or property
  • threats to harm you, your friends or your family
  • intimidation
  • bullying
  • producing offensive printed material about you
  • posts online, including social media

If you are not sure if something that has happened to you is a hate crime or hate incident, you can always get help from a specialist service.  

There are many ways you can report hate crime. The Metropolitan Police Service and Ealing Council take hate crime extremely seriously. You will be listened to, you will be supported and we will work with you to ensure appropriate action is taken.

  • Police
    Report a crime 
    Call 999 in case of emergency or 101 for non-emergencies

  • Ealing Council
    Contact the council’s community safety team at: safercommunities@ealing.gov.uk or speak to an officer on: 020 8825 5994 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

  • Crimestoppers 
    Call 0800 555111
    Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously
    All calls are free and you do not have to give your name.

  • West London Equality Centre
    WLEC - formerly Ealing Equality Council, is a charity active in the promotion and advancement of equality and human rights for all members of our community. They provide free legal advice and advocacy in conjunction with the Community Advice Programme (CAP) and retain the pro-bono services of solicitors and qualified barristers in providing legal advice.

  • Galop
    Galop provides advice and support to people who have experienced hate crime because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
    Call: 020 7704 2040 Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm
    Email: referrals@galop.org.uk

  • TellMAMA
    TellMAMA provides a service for anyone who suffers, or has suffered an incident as a result of their Muslim faith (or perceived Muslim Faith). TellMAMA is a secure and reliable service that allows people across England to report any anti Muslim abuse.
    Report anti-Muslim hate crime or Islamophobia 
    Telephone; 0800 456 1226
    SMS: 0115 707 0007
    WhatsApp: 0734 184 6086
    Email: info@tellmamauk.org

  • Real
    Real provides a service for anyone who has been a victim of hate crime because of their disability or perceived disability. Real is a registered third party reporting centre. This means Real will assist you to report a disability hate crime if you do not want to directly report the crime to the police yourself.
    Call: 020 7001 2177
    Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm
    Email: disabilityhatecrime@real.org.uk

  • Community Security Trust (CST)
    CST is a national Jewish Charity that has extensive experience of providing support and advocacy for victims of antisemitism. CST works across the Jewish Community, from the most religious to the most secular.
    Telephone: 0208 457 9999 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

  • The Monitoring Group
    The monitoring group is a leading anti-racist charity that provides helpline and casework service to people experiencing racial violence and religious hatred.
    Telephone: 020 7582 7438
    Email: office@tmg-uk.org