Successful prosecution in Rugby
A 56-year old defendant from Rugby has been sentenced for racially abusing two people including a police officer.
Read more...Staff from three different McDonalds restaurants in Rugby, Warwickshire, embraced hate crime awareness training (14/05/19). The 3 hour workshop has enabled staff to critically review the behaviour that some customers may display and staff are now able to clear identify hate crime and they know where and how to report.
The specialist training was delivered by a local charity called the Equality and Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP) and they provide a range of equality services including a discrimanation casework service, research, community engagement and they offer a portfolio of accredited and bespoke education and training packages.
The three McDonalds restaurants based in Rugby are participating in a Hate Crime Charter project which has been developed by EQuIP.
The Hate Crime Charter has been developed in response to address the year-on-year increase of hate related crimes/incidents in Warwickshire. There has been a significant increase of hate crime within food outlets (i.e. Take-aways, restaurants, cafes) and supermarkets amongst many other businesses, so this why the charter project has focused on this area of business in its first year.
Benji Evans from EQuIP commented:
‘‘McDonalds in Rugby are being very proactive and taking the appropriate steps to become a Hate Crime Chartered Business. Staff are completing hate crime awareness training and ‘#NoHateHere’ branded resources will be displayed in their restaurants to help safeguard customers and remind potential perpetrators that if hate crimes are committed in McDonalds, then staff will recognise the signs and report. McDonalds are very supportive of local community focussed initiatives and their commitment to this project is another great example’’.
Since April 2018, 84 businesses across all five districts/boroughs in Warwickshire are participating in the Hate Crime Charter. Business range of small independant, family run to large global businesses that operate at a local level in Warwickshire.
As part of the charter project, approximately 400 'NoHateHere' branded stickers (See picture above) are being displayed in windows, doors, notice boards and walls in the premises of participating businesses. Over 300 staff will complete hate crime awareness training and this will support more people to come forward and report hate crime.
This new exciting initiative is first of its kind in England and the project is fully supported by Warwickshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner, Warwickshire Police and Warwickshire County Council.
For any businesses that would like further information about the Hate Crime Charter, please contact EQuIP via telephone: 01788 863117, email: advice@equipequality.org.uk or visit their website: www.equipequality.org.uk.