Merton council will be hosting a hate crime advice surgery in partnership with charity Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks).

Merton is the first borough in south London to work in conjunction with Tell Mama to run these sessions that are aimed at raising awareness and support victims of hate crime.

The surgeries will run on the second Tuesday of every month from 1.00pm to 2.00pm starting Tuesday 12 February at the civic centre, London Road. It will be a safe space for anyone to come and discuss hate crime and report anonymously. Members of the public can drop in for advice as no appointment is necessary.

Merton is one of the safest London boroughs, and the council has a strong working relationship with the police and other partner agencies to promote community cohesion and encourage victims to come forward. Representatives from BAME Voice, Inner Strength Network and Association for the Polish Family will also be on hand to offer advice.

Cabinet member for community safety, engagement and equalities, Councillor Edith Macauley, said: “We are delighted to be working closely with Tell Mama and all our partners, to ensure Merton continues to be one of the safest London boroughs. Hate crime is a continual concern for our residents and has no place in our borough. I am encouraging everyone to come for these sessions, where we hope to raise more awareness about what hate crime is and how to spot it. We want to provide people with a supportive environment where victims can report in confidence incidents of hate crime.”

For more information: https://www.merton.gov.uk/hatecrime

ENDS

Notes for Editor

All sessions will be held at Merton civic Centre, London Road, Morden SM4 5DX

Tuesday 12 February 2019

Tuesday 12 March 2019

Tuesday 9 April 2019

Tuesday 14 May 2019

Tuesday 11 June 2019