FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Exeter City Council unanimously agrees Exeter Labour Group motion on hate crime
A Full Council meeting of Exeter City Council meeting held at Exeter Guildhall on Tuesday 26 July 2016 unanimously passed a motion reaffirming unequivocal condemnation of any form of behaviour that is racist, xenophobic, incites hatred, discriminates against or harms members of our community.
In proposing the Labour Group motion, Cllr Lewis Keen [St David’s] said:
“I’ve proposed this motion concerning hate crime due to a significant rise across the country, and this has been reflected in concern from many residents, who have contacted me and my fellow councillors.”
Cllr Keen continued: “This motion raises awareness [of hate crime] and explicitly condemns this behaviour, and by supporting this motion we can continue to reassure our fellow residents that this Council, this city, does not accept bigotry”
In conclusion, Cllr Keen summed up: “That we welcome everyone and that diversity in Exeter over the centuries has woven a rich history that we are proud of. Many of you have contributed to this motion and I hope that it reflects and encompasses everyone’s feelings on the matter.”
The motion received unanimous approval from all three political represented on Exeter City Council.
The full motion reads:
Exeter’s City Council members wish to reaffirm our unequivocal condemnation of any form of behaviour that is racist, xenophobic, incites hatred, discriminates against or harms members of our community. We are honoured to represent the residents of such a diverse and tolerant city, and we intend to continue to do our utmost to ensure that it is a welcoming, safe place for all.
This Council recognises that our open and welcoming community is a key reason for this city’s prosperity and its significant cultural value in the South West. We also recognise that our city is home to people from many parts of the world, of many faiths and of none, and that we all continue to come out in force standing shoulder to shoulder with every resident – we are immensely proud to see that year on year events such as Exeter Pride and Exeter Respect Festival grow from strength to strength.
However, we also recognise that as a council we must not be complacent and continue to make sure acceptance and integration is a key aspect involved in the decisions we undertake. We will continue to ensure that local partnerships and programmes that combat xenophobia and contribute to integration have our full support.
We state in the strongest and sincerest terms that if any person is a victim of crime in Exeter they need to report it to our local police force. This not only means that the appropriate actions can be undertaken but more detailed records will enable a more effective response in the future – we will not allow hate crime to gain a foothold in our city.
We reassure all people living in Exeter that we will continue to strive every day to welcome, value and protect them. Working together, this city will remain welcoming, safe and inclusive for one and all.
– ENDS –
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