THE London Assembly member for Brent and Harrow, Krupesh Hirani, led a panel discussion on hate crimes against Hindus at City Hall on Monday (17).
Kaya Comer-Schwartz, the deputy mayor of London for policing and crime; Metropolitan Police superintendent Owen Renowden; Varinder Hayre OBE from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and the Community Security Trust’s (CST) Colin took part in the meeting, which was attended by community representatives. They raised concerns over the term Hinduphobia, saying it misrepresented the nature of discrimination faced by Hindus.
One audience member said, “This isn’t a phobia, it’s a hate crime against the Hindu community. Why should anyone be ‘phobic’ of us? We should recognise it as inter-community hatred and report it as such.”
The panel agreed on the importance of enhanced reporting mechanisms, interfaith cooperation, and policy-level interventions to curb hate crimes.
Hirani AM highlighted community-targeted hate crimes, saying under-reporting was an issue. He stressed the importance of accurate data collection to ensure effective intervention.
Comer-Schwartz reaffirmed London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s zero-tolerance stance on hate crime, and noted the rise in faith-based attacks in recent years. She urged communities to report incidents, stating, “One attack on any of us is one too many.”
Hayre outlined the CPS’s role in prosecuting hate crimes and raising awareness. She shared her own experiences of handling sensitive cases and stressed the need for education across communities to foster greater interfaith understanding.
Renowden detailed the Met’s approach to combating hate crime, linking it closely to neighbourhood policing. He called for stronger community engagement and encouraged victims to come forward.
Colin provided insights into how the Jewish community was tackling hate crime, and suggested strategies that could be adapted to protect other faith groups, including Hindus.
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