£500,000 security fund to combat hate crime

The Hate Crime Security Fund has been developed by the Scottish government in partnership with Police Scotland and faith communities can apply for grants of up to £20,000.

Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “Faith leaders and their congregations should be able to attend worship without fear of crime or persecution.

“Targeting people, places or communities because of their religious affiliation is unacceptable and Police Scotland works alongside our religious communities to safeguard against crime of any nature, and in particular hate crime. Officers regularly liaise with community and faith leaders and monitor issues and tensions across Scotland.

“We thoroughly investigate every hate crime incident. We are also aware hate crime is significantly under-reported, and we always encourage anyone who witnesses an incident, be they victim or bystander, to make us aware and allow us to determine whether an offence has been committed.”

A detailed study looking at the characteristics of victims and perpetrators of reported hate crime incidents in Scotland in 2018/19 found that around two-fifths of religion-aggravated hate crimes involved prejudice towards the Catholic community, a quarter involved prejudice towards the Muslim community and one in ten cases was towards the Protestant community.

Individual grants will be available for a maximum of three security measures to mitigate the risk from hate crime, such as CCTV, security doors, alarms, fencing, video intercoms and improved lighting.

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Hate Crime Security Fund will help ensure faith communities in Scotland most vulnerable to hate crime are supported to worship in safety.

“Scotland is an inclusive and tolerant nation, but our society is not immune from the threat of prejudice and hate.

“Places of worship should be places of peace and sanctuary and our faith communities should feel safe and secure when they visit them.”