A rapid rise in religious and race hate crime in Cambridgeshire has been blamed on scapegoating sparked by austerity, Brexit and terror attacks.

The shock figures come after sick flyers urging people to take part in ‘Punish a Muslim Day’ sparked a national police probe after being posted through doors across the country.

Worrying rise in race and religious hate crime

Now the disturbing data from Cambridgeshire Police has revealed in 2013 there were 288 racist or religiously aggravated hate crimes, rising to 416 the following year, 479 in 2015 and up again to 825 in 2016.

But last year the number reached a record high of 1,114, according to data released by Cambridgeshire Police under freedom of information laws.

A total of 237 of the reported crimes were solved in 2017.

Racist and religiously aggravated hate crime

Victim and campaigner reacts

Shahida Rahman

Shahida Rahman, who was born and raised in Cambridge and is standing for a seat on the city council, has herself been a victim of hate crime.

The award-winning author told the News: "It probably is on the rise or more people are coming forward reporting these crimes but I've noticed the the prosecution rate is quite low. But while people are coming forward and something is being done, that is good."

Racist twitter trolls

Shahida is also a broadcaster and has lived in Chesterton for 12 years and has been targeted by racists.

But she seems so used to it, she is no longer upset.

She said: "I've been trawled on Twitter. I get it all the time and to be honest I don't feel upset by it.

"I laugh yes of course, but for me I'm open to dialogue and what I've found is that speaking to people breaks down barriers. It's one of those things you don't take to heart because its a lack of education and the way that they interpret things.

"That's how I feel but I've learned from experience and tend not to engage in things."

Are Brexit and terror attacks to blame?

Daniel Zeichner

Cambridge's MP Daniel Zeichner was appalled by the increase in hate crime.

He told the News: “This staggering rise in reports of hate crime is profoundly depressing. There are a range of causes, some of which will include better recording and more willingness to report incidents.

"But it also clearly tells us that there have been more actual offences, and it is hard not to note the particular rise in numbers in 2016.

"The EU referendum was highly divisive and as is well-documented, was followed in some areas by very unpleasant incidents. The continuing rise into 2017 may also reflect the tensions caused by the terrorist attacks last year.

"What is in no doubt is that we must all redouble our efforts to promote tolerance and understanding. Cambridge is a safe and happy place for most people, but we need to work hard to make sure that remains true for everyone, in every community.”

Is austerity to blame?

Richard Rose, of The Cambridge Stand Up To Racism group, told the News: "This shows a shocking increase in racist incidents which have clearly been on the rise over the recent past.

"The figures will come as no shock to many ethnic minorities who have born the brunt of these trends.

"During times of austerity and economic recession there is always a drive to blame minorities for the failings of the economy, and those in the establishment who have sought to scapegoat refugees and migrants or to demonise minorities, especially Muslims, must realise that their pronouncements have consequences in the real world.

"However Stand Up to Racism is convinced that the vast majority of the population is resolutely anti-racist, valuing our vibrant, rich and diverse society.

"By standing up against all forms of racism we mean to isolate the tiny minority of bigots and to make clear that whatever problems we have in modern society, racism and hatred are not the answer."

What the police say

Police in Mill Road

A police spokesman said: “A rise in hate crime is always concerning, however, if these events raise awareness and result in people reporting incidents that they perhaps wouldn’t have before, then it’s also a positive thing.

“Under-reporting is a factor we’re trying to tackle, as often those affected by hate crime are too frightened or intimidated to come forward or do not recognise that they are victims.

“We would encourage victims, family members, carers and the public to help us tackle the problem by reporting incidents to the police or our partners. Everyone has the right to live without harassment or fear of crime.”

Fight back

A group of protesters led the fight for Cambridge against the sick ‘Punish a Muslim Day’ with a letter of their own handed in to a local mosque.

The suggested actions range from verbal abuse, pulling headscarves from women's he
ads, acid attacks, electrocuting Muslims and butchering people.

A history of racism

Last month (March) vile Nazi posters were put up in Cambridge in a sinister threat to the city's main anti-racist group.

The posters, believed to be the work of a neo-Nazi group, were put up where anti-racists gathered to board buses for a rally in London.

The posters were put up on signposts and trees on grass behind Queens' College where a bus picked up anti-racists who joined thousands of protesters across Europe in marking United Nations Anti-Racism Day.

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Hijab-wearing women attacked in Cambridge

There was a series of anti-Muslim attacks on hijab-wearing women in Cambridge in July last year (2017).

The incidents happened as parents were taking their children to Mayfield Primary School.

Hate crime attackers got it so wrong

A Mercedes was torched and BMW owned by a Lithuanian family was attacked and the word 'Polish' sprayed on it.

The two cars were vandalised in Cambridgeshire in an incident police are treating as a hate crime.

In the same area a grey BMW 520i had its windows smashed and the word ‘Polish’ sprayed on the side of the vehicle.

Both vehicles belong to a local Lithuanian family.

'No more Polish vermin' signs horror

The culprit behind signs left outside Huntingdon primary schools in 2016 saying "no more Polish vermin" has not been found.

Police investigated reports the signs had been distributed in Huntingdon just hours after the result of the EU referendum was announced.

People can report hate crime by visiting www.cambs.police.uk/report or by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, if people would prefer not to go directly to the police, they can report incidents online via the third party reporting scheme True Vision. This can be accessed via www.report-it.org.uk/.

Police have now launched a 'stop and search and hate crime survey'.