Scrapping non-crime hate incidents is a gift to racists

‘We know the area you live in, we will make sure you are deported’

After an article on debunking myths about migrants in hotels went live in August, this was the first email I received.  

I’m not shocked, in fact, I’m sadly desensitised to a lot of online abuse. 

As a queer woman of colour, I expect nothing less from the trolls who spend their time sending cruel little messages to people they don’t know and don’t expect any repercussions. 

And when I saw the news today that police leaders are claiming that Non-Crime Hate Incidents (NCHI’s) are no longer fit, but a threat to freedom of speech and harming police time and resources, I realised that could be right – there may no longer be any repercussions.

Non-crime hate incidents are alleged behaviours motivated by prejudice towards people because of certain characteristics – race or gender for example, but that do not meet the threshold of a criminal offence, which under current rules must always be recorded, no matter the outcome. 

Now, police chiefs, with the purported backing of the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, have decided to scrap these and replace them with a so-called ‘common sense’ approach.

The first thing that came to my mind was – this is dangerous.

Not only will it, in my view, allow for more people to get away with horrific behaviour, especially since the chance of any repercussions appears to be significantly lower, but it will be determined on the police officer logging the crime at the time, rather than someone reviewing. 

Under this new system, only serious events will be recorded, and even those under the broad term of ‘anti-social behaviour.’

And that determination will be informed by individual officers’ notion of ‘common sense’.

With incidents, such as the BBC Panorama, highlighting racist and misogynistic behaviours in various police forces, I’m worried this move could make things worse at a time when minority voices are concerned at the level of hate they are receiving.

The police’s initial intention to record NCHI crimes came after the murder of Stephen Lawrence and William Macpherson’s 1999 report suggested ‘a comprehensive system of reporting and recording all racist incidents and crimes’ were created.

For me, it surely makes sense to continue this reporting in order to counteract the biases of any individual officer.

But this new recommendation to scrap them, expected to be confirmed next month, comes after several high profile cases of alleged NCHI incidents.

Graham Linehan, a long-time anti-trans commentator, was arrested for comments made on X – before being investigated for an NCHI, later facing no further action.

Linehan’s case was controversial, it was, after all, Donald Trump’s administration who called this case a ‘departure from democracy’ – and seems to have been a factor in this review. 

But you only have to look on social media to see the can of worms this could open for people like me.

‘Free speech’ types were all over X (formerly Twitter) where most of the worst abuse can be found. 

To me, it looks like they’re celebrating their freedom to tell someone they want to deport them. 

Or to use slurs, which I have received, including being called the n-word, despite being South Asian. One poster even appeared to express disappointment that they might still not be allowed to use that slur. 

Many on X are also claiming that ‘opinion shouldn’t be a crime’, without any acknowledgement that some opinions, expressed in a certain way, could cause a larger issue – more violence. 

We saw this when Lucy Connolly, another hero to ‘free speech warriors’ called on her followers to burn down asylum hotels during the 2024 summer riots, as people were doing exactly that. 

I believe Connolly deserved the criminal offence she pled guilty to, inciting racial hatred, but plenty less high-profile incidents go under the radar. That was where NCHI came in. 

A couple of months ago, I received an email calling me the r-word. I got one a couple of weeks ago calling me scum. I’ve found photos of me on 4chan and pornsites with racial abuse in the comments underneath.

I am desensitised to this online abuse, but it doesn’t stop me from being worried that someone will target me in person. 

Like when I’ve been told to ‘go back home’ or racial slurs like the p-word have been yelled at me. Or when a man saw my pride pin on my coat, on the tube, and put his crotch by my face.

Some of these could have been investigated as NCHIs. 

So, if those are going, there needs to be a clear line from the government and police that outlines what ‘common sense’ will consider hate and what will be ignored. 

Because no matter the government’s intentions, racist, religious, sexist, homophobic or transphobic abuse – which often leads to violence – could become even more commonplace under these proposed policing changes. 

It is already a huge issue, and I fear it will only worsen.

Of course we need to protect our civil liberties, and that comes from one simple step – protecting the public from violence and abuse.

The government seems to, yet again, be appeasing the wrong people – those who want to send me, and others like me, messages, or to harass me in public because of my sexuality. Instead they should be concentrating on helping those who are the most disenfranchised.

But the Labour Party is, in my opinion, continuing to veer to the right, with Shabana Mahmood herself stating that the police should be able to distinguish between ‘content [on social media] that is offensive, rude, ill-mannered, and incitement to violence, incitement to hatred’.

If they are, it is Mahmood herself who is going to give us some real clarity on what this looks like.

Otherwise, I am truly scared for the future of Britain, and the hateful society we are diving head first into.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

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