THE MOST common race hate crimes in the Thames Valley have been revealed as part of data published by the region’s police force.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that 6,242 hate crimes were recorded in the area between January 2019 and December 2020.

Of these more than 6,000 race hate crimes, racially and/or religiously aggravated harassment was the most common with 1,327 incidents.

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Second on the list was racially and/or religious aggravated intentional harassment causing alarm or distress, with 1,214 incidents recorded.

Common assault and battery was the third most common hate offence with 456 incidents recorded.

Narrowly behind this with 420 incidents recorded was ‘sending letters with intent to cause anxiety or distress’.

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Other notable crimes include:

  • The use of words or behaviour or display of written material intended or likely to stir up hatred (304 incidents)
  • Public performance of a play intended or likely to stir up racial hatred (one incident)
  • Threats to kill (35 incidents)

Thames Valley Police published the information in February in response to a Freedom of Information request sent by Alexander Markham.

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