The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Pan-London Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel convened an extraordinary meeting last week to unite against hate crime and public disorder in the capital.
The panel, comprising criminal justice agencies and community representatives from across London, reviewed recent hate crime prosecutions, identified best practices, and shared lessons learned. On Friday, August 9, CPS London hosted this crucial meeting to address the recent surge in violence and disorder, including hate crimes, following the tragic events in Southport.
During the meeting, panel members discussed the effects of disorder and hate crime on communities, the CPS’s role in delivering swift justice, and strategies to enhance support and reassurance for affected communities.
Jaswant Narwal, Chief Crown Prosecutor and Chair of the Pan-London Hate Crime Panel, stated, “The CPS and our independent panel members, representing a diverse cross-section of London, will continue to stand united against any criminal conduct aimed at dividing us through violence and fear.
“No matter who you are or where you are—whether on our streets or online—those involved in disorder and hate crimes will be prosecuted. We will use a range of offences and court orders to ensure serious consequences.”
In all hate crime related cases, CPS prosecutors are applying to the court for sentence uplifts to make sure that perpetrators receive increased penalties where we can prove conduct demonstrated, or was motivated by, hostility based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity.
For many immigrants, the far right protests was a flash back to the Britain of 1970-80s Britain, when the National Front was very active. This is also the case for Ketan Dattani, CEO and Founding Owner of Buckingham Features. Reflecting on how the past w=few weeks have affected him, he shared, “As someone who comes from a minority background, it’s deeply disheartening to feel like an outsider in the very country where I was born and raised—a place I proudly call home. The sense of belonging that I've worked so hard to cultivate often feels threatened. Despite my contributions and efforts to integrate, I sometimes feel unwelcome in my own homeland.”
“This experience echoes memories of my younger years. The 1970s and 1980s in Britain were particularly challenging, with racism and hate alarmingly prevalent. The National Front was very active, and as the only Asian child on my council estate, I often faced hostility. Coming home from school sometimes meant dealing with bruises and cuts, both physical and emotional.
“Yet, amidst this wave of negativity, I’m continually uplifted by the overwhelming support and solidarity from so many individuals and communities who stand firmly against these divisive ideologies.”
Priya Aggarwal-Shah, the Founder and Director of PREACH Inclusion(Promoting Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage), finds the hard and harsh truth to be that British people don’t like talking about race. “We have this fear of getting it wrong or worry that we don’t know enough about racial issues. The other challenge is the fear of offending others, stopping us from asking questions that can help us learn and break down barriers.
“When I think about it, perhaps the term microaggression is problematic in itself – there is really nothing micro about a microaggression. It’s racism. We must be able to talk about it and call the thing the thing. As soon as we cherry-pick our language, we are undermining and invalidating the experiences that so many ethnic minority individuals are encountering.”
