Merseyside Police have been visiting mosques, temples and synagogues to assure all religious groups that hate crime will not be tolerated by officers in Liverpool.
In a statement on the @MerseyPolice Twitter account, a spokesperson said they were encouraged that reports of hate crime in the city had not risen since Emad al-Swealmeen, a 32-year-old suspected suicide bomber, blew himself up with a homemade device outside Liverpool Women's Hospital on Sunday.
Along with their visits to places of worship, officers were patrolling large areas of the city yesterday to ensure all members of the public felt safe and protected, whilst also listening to their concerns following the bomb explosion.
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy was out in the community yesterday morning while Community Policing Inspector Charlotte Irlam was patrolling the streets in the evening with the spokesperson saying in a tweet last night: "We want everyone in Merseyside to feel safe, and Community Policing Inspector, Charlotte Irlam was with her teams tonight as part of the increased police presence and patrols.
"We will also continue engaging with local communities. From the early hours of this morning officers across Merseyside patrolled the streets and engaged with the local community.
"As you may have seen already, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, local officers and partners were also out in the community this morning to offer reassurance and hear the public's concerns first hand. Our community teams from South Liverpool also have been out today continuing to reassure communities on hi-visibility patrols.
"Officers continued the patrols well into the night, so that you feel safe whether you're simply travelling home from work or taking the kids to the wonderful Christmas Market in the city centre. It is vital that all of our communities feel reassured.
"Community policing teams across the city have been visiting places of worship to ensure our reassurance is heard by everyone. Inspector Dave Uren, and colleagues visited a mosque yesterday in South Liverpool to ensure that the local community were aware that we will always take a strong stance when it comes to hate crime targeting any religious group.
"Community officers also visited temples and synagogues and churches to ensure members felt safe and knew what action they can take if they fall victim to hate crime. We are encouraged by the fact there has been no rise in reports of hate crime in Merseyside over the last few days but we want all our communities to know we are here for them.
"Our Merseyside Police Contact Centre is available 24/7 via DM or if you prefer you can contact @stophateuk. Finally, we know the incident has caused some fears in our communities and we want you all to feel safe and protected.
"If you don't, please tell us and we'll take action! Thank you and good night."
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