IDAHO DAY AT PHOENIX SQUARE

Today is Idaho Day: International Day Against Homophobia, an occasion given the imprimatur of the United Nations. I'm at Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre with a display for the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP) in a "marketplace" style exhibition to mark the occasion. 

Other organisations taking part today here:

• Blaby District Community Safety Partnership
• Citizens' Eye Community News Agency
• Leicestershire Police's Stamp It Out! campaign
• Leicestershire Together Stop and Tell campaign
• Trade Sexual Health
• Victim Support

It's a small scale, low key affair and is all over in three hours. But it brings this important day to the attention of regular and occasional users of Phoenix Square's cafe bar and it contributes to the considerable cumulative online coverage of Idaho Day. John Coster of Citizens' Eye filmed an interview with me about REDP's participation in Idaho Day. You can see this on YouTube. John also submitted this video interview to CNN iReport.

There can never be enough opportunities or occasions to highlight an issue like this. Most of the people on the stalls are weil-kent faces, but a few are new to me - and I always think that's a good thing in itself.

More than once today I heard voices lamenting the small turnout, both in terms of organisations displaying and of visitors. And more than once I heard John Coster respond with an apposite Chinese proverb: "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now." I might be well advised to apply that to a few other things going on in my life these days!

"STOP ABUSE OF THE DISABLED"

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

"Stop abuse of the disabled"

Police have launched a campaign to protect disabled people from abuse while they are travelling on buses.

Leicestershire's Chief Constable Simon Cole said people with various disabilities have told his officers they are sometimes singled out for abuse on public transport.

Two of Leicestershire's largest bus companies, Arriva and First, have now agreed to display the Stamp It Out campaign poster in their vehicles.

Police hope the posters, which are part of a wider campaign to highlight hate crimes, will encourage victims and witnesses to come forward, to help bring perpetrators to justice.

Mr Cole, who speaks for the Association of Chief Police Officers on disability issues, said: "If you carry out any consultation with people who have disabilities, they will tell you about problems they have experienced on public transport.

"This has a knock-on effect on their lives which the rest of us should be ashamed of.

"Public transport puts people who don't know each other in a confined space and that sometimes leads to incidents.

"This campaign will raise awareness of this issue and encourage people to report any bullying or harassment incidents to us and we will do something about it.

"The campaign is called Stamp It Out for a good reason. There is no place for any form of hate crime in Leicester."

A number of people who use services provided by learning disability charity Mencap attended yesterday's launch in Upper Brown Street, Leicester city centre.

They also spoke of their own experiences of bullying while using public transport.

Darren Bakewell, 48, of Braunstone, Leicester, said: "I was abused on a bus once. A man pushed me off and I fell on the ground.

"I was hurt and didn't know what to do, but a woman who was on the bus and had seen what happened called the police for me.

"The police dealt with him for what he had done to me."

Ranjit Singh, 46, who lives in the Narborough Road area of Leicester, said: "It is important the police take this seriously – everyone should be able to travel on a bus in peace."

Steve Smith, area business manager for Arriva in Leicestershire, said: "We're urging all bus companies, their workers and passengers to be community spirited and report any abuse experienced on buses, whether directed at them or another person."

Deputy city mayor Rory Palmer said: "There is no place for anti-social behaviour on buses or anywhere else.

"Abusive and bullying behaviour will not be tolerated.

"By working together in partnership, across the council, police and transport providers, we will stamp out this unacceptable behaviour."To report hate crime, contact Leicestershire police on 101 or, in an emergency, 999.

Alternatively, you can visit: www.stamp-it-out.co.uk

I posted about my own experience of this launch event on the blog yesterday. I can be seen in the photo above - if you know what you're looking for! 

STAMP IT OUT ARRIVA!

Hurrying to Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living this morning, late for a meeting of REDP's Core Partners scheduled to start at 0930, I see a single-decker Arriva bus parked in Upper Brown Street, just across the road from LCIL. Nothing out of the ordinary there, although it's not a bus route and there's no bus stop at that spot. Then I notice Sophie and Tej from LCIL photographing (and, it turns out, tweeting the pictures of) people boarding the bus. On closer examination, I recognise some of them - quite a lot of them, actually - including Steve Cooper, in whose office our 0930 meeting is supposed to be taking place!

This bus, provided by Arriva, is there to promote Leicestershire Constabulary's Stamp It Out! anti-hate crime campaign, challenging verbal abuse, bullying and violence. Covering the full range of Protected Characteristics, today's Stamp It Out! event is especially focused on people with learning difficulties.

I persuade Diversity Officer Darren Goddard and Chief Inspector Rich Keenan to pose for a photo, then they bundle me on to the bus, where Deputy Mayor Cllr Rory Palmer, Chief Constable Simon Cole and a select band of other local luminaries are gathered. A photographer form the Leicester Mercury is there, getting a better class of picture than I've been able to. (An article and photo appeared in the Leicester Mercury the next day, which I also blogged here).

A nice opportunity to get involved in a worthwhile occasion - and proving that there can be a good reason to be late for meetings, once in a while!

FAITH LEADERS LIGHT CANDLES FOR VICTIMS OF HATE CRIME

From today's Leicester Mercury:

Faith leaders light candles for victims of hate crime 

Prayers were said and candles were lit yesterday to mark the launch of anti-hate crime week. 

Faith leaders from different religions gathered at Leicester Cathedral to remember the victims and families. 

Friday is International Day Against Hate Crime. 

The week has been organised by Leicestershire Police and the Stamp It Out campaign, a community-led project committed to challenging, tackling and stamping out hate crime throughout the county. 

Cathedral chancellor David Monteith said: "The week is about remembering those who have died from hate crimes and those who continue to be victimised. 

"Yesterday, we lit candles and held silences and it was very moving. 

"It was also great to see such a variety of cultures and religions committed to working together for the campaign. 

"The victims need to have a voice and we're all working together to stamp out hate." 

The gathering was the first of a series of activities which are running throughout the county this week. 

For more information, visit: stamp-it-out.co.uk

stamp it out!

To Leicestershire Constabulary HQ in Enderby this morning, for the launch of "Stamp It Out!" This is a community led partnership bringing together different groups and organisations all committed to challenging, tackling and stamping out hate within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

In today’s Britain no one should ever feel under threat of verbal or physical violence just of their disability, transgender (gender identity), race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. The risk of being attacked or abused on the street, at work or in their own home just because of who they are remains and everyday reality for many people. If hate incidents go unreported this fear will increase and affects people’s ability to live open and happy lives.

According to Leicestershire Police, 1,150 people were victims of racist crimes last year, 133 were targeted because of their religion, while 70 disabled people and around 200 people were targeted because of their sexuality. Leicester council of Faiths obviously has a stake in there being more accurate recording and monitoring of religious hate crime - and the fostering of an environment where victims of such crime feel more confident that the police will take their concerns seriously and will deal with incidents and their perpetrators promptly, efficiently and consistently.

On arrival at Police HQ in Enderby, I'm a little unsure just where I am meant to be going. I've visited the site a couple of times before, but it's always been to one particular building. So I stop the first official-looking person I meet, to ask where the meeting might be. And who should be the first "official-looking" person I see? None other than the newly-appointed Chief Constable, Simon Cole. Of course I take the opportunity to introduce myself and the Council of Faiths and give him my card as he directs me to the right place. After he's done so and he walks on, I realise I stopped him just in front of a blooming big sign with an arrow on it! Still, let's say that it's a little moment of serendipitty.

In his opening remarks to the audience, the Chief Constable tells us that "Stamping out hate crime and the kind of vulnerabilities it creates is the reason why I joined the police." Several community organisations have expressed their support already for Stamp It Out! I'm asked here today if the Council of Faiths would do the same. That kind of decision is above my pay grade obviously, but I'll be passing the request on to the officers of the Council of Faiths.
Find out more about Stamp It Out!
http://www.stamp-it-out.co.uk/

Here's how the launch was covered on the Leicester Mercury website:
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Police-aiming-stamp-hate-crime-new-website/article-2322445-detail/article.html