Last week, comedian Rosie Jones and TV presenter Lee Peart were subject to vile ableist and homophobic abuse while travelling together on a train from Sussex to London.
As the Divisional Commander responsible for policing the railway network in London, I’d like to be absolutely clear that any form of abuse, intimidation and violence - especially that which is motivated by hate - is utterly abhorrent and will not be tolerated by the British Transport Police.
Thankfully, Lee knew how to report what was happening - using our text number 61016 - allowing us to send officers to meet them, make sure they got home safely, and launch an investigation into the offenders.
When I joined BTP in 2006, I remember reporting a homophobic hate crime I’d experienced at a major city station. At the time, it was the only one on record. I knew I couldn’t be the only one - it just wasn’t being reported. That experience has stayed with me and shaped how I lead today.
Since then, we’ve come a long way. We now have access to thousands of live CCTV feeds across the network, and both uniformed and plain clothes officers ready to respond quickly. The introduction of 61016 has been a game-changer - offering a discreet, accessible way for people to reach us when they feel unsafe.
National Hate Crime Awareness Week - born out of remembrance of the horrific London nail bombings targeting LGBTQ+ and Black and Asian communities in 1999 - is a chance for us to remind ourselves and others of why and how we can stand against hate. Rosie and Lee’s experience is a timely reminder of its importance.
Sadly, we know that hate crimes like this appear to be on the rise, with racial hate crime remaining the most prevalent and other passengers targeted on account of their gender, sexuality or disability in an environment where people should feel safe making their daily commute, heading home, enjoying a night out.
Sometimes officers find themselves becoming victims of hate crimes too, abused for the colour of their skin, religion or perceived sexuality, while trying to do their duty.
I heard a colleague recently refer to an “endless dance” of competing policing priorities, and there’s no doubt that we, like forces nationally, are trying to do more with less - bringing violent and sexual offenders to justice, helping people in mental health crisis, arresting robbers, tackling drugs gangs exploiting vulnerable youths.
Despite this, we continue to treat hate crime with the seriousness it deserves. I’m glad that we’re a force made up of different people of all races and creeds, and that our people are free to be who they are at work. I want the same to be true for everyone using the rail network.
Part of the NHCAW campaign is about encouraging reporting of hate crime to the police and authorities, which is what BTP officers will be doing when they speak to the travelling public at ‘pop up’ stalls at stations in London this week.
Another campaign objective is about strengthening our operational response to these incidents. Every report to us - whether speaking to an officer or texting us on 61016 - helps us build intelligence that can be shared with partners like TfL, influence targeted patrols and operations, and make arrests.
I know how important this week is to anyone who has found themselves a victim, and I hope this year’s week of awareness will help educate and empower people to know that hate has no place on our railways - or anywhere else.
