With incidents of hate crime recently having risen in the capital and nationwide, the Mayor has today announced £250,000 in new funding for the Community Alliance To Combat Hate (CATCH)

partnership and the Mayor’s Shared Endeavour Fund to extend their work in the capital.

CATCH is receiving the funding in addition to £2m it has already received from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) enabling it to reach more than 3,500 victims of hate crime a year. The partnership of eight organisations including GALOP, supports victims of all forms of hate crime – from racism to religious discrimination and anti-LGBTQ+ abuse.

The Alliance will be prioritising additional funding for The Community Security Trust (CST) and Tell MAMA, who are currently supporting members of London’s Jewish and Muslim communities impacted by rising tensions sparked by violence in the Middle East. The new funding announced will also benefit community cohesion and outreach and resilience projects.

The Mayor’s £3m Shared Endeavour Fund equips grassroots organisations to harness the power of education and facilitate dialogue between young people through interactive workshops and projects designed to challenge hatred in all its forms. Since 2020 more than 90,000 Londoners have been supported across more than 70 projects, with a further 23 projects being delivered this financial year in which a further 50,000 will participate.  

The CATCH partnership and Shared Endeavour Fund are part of £11m the Mayor has dedicated to combatting hatred, intolerance and extremism and promoting community cohesion throughout his Mayoralty.

This new funding comes as the Mayor of London launches London for Everyone – a new campaign to unite communities, celebrate the capital’s diversity and promote mutual respect, the campaign will signpost Londoners to help and support services funded by the Mayor.

This will include advice for new migrants to help them access key services as well as information on how to report hate crime and access support available. 

The campaign is designed to bring Londoners together, affirming that while we may be from different communities, speak a multitude of languages and hold varying beliefs, we all belong in London and help to make it the greatest city in the world.

Londoners and visitors to the capital will be able to see posters across the Transport for London (TfL) network from Friday 24 November, as well as online.

The Mayor is also delivering a wide programme of interventions to support Londoners of all backgrounds to thrive in our capital. This includes the creation of the Migrant Londoners Hub and investment of more than £750,000 in the Migrant Advice and Support Fund to help Londoners with immigration needs. He has also provided a £1m microgrant programme to help local groups strengthen social bonds within their communities following the pandemic and enable Londoners of all ages and backgrounds to volunteer through the London Strategic Volunteering Group (LVSG).

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London’s greatest strength is our diversity and we simply wouldn’t be the city we are today without the input, energy and experiences of everyone who lives here.

“We have seen a concerning rise in hate crime across our city and nationwide. In times marred by division and fear, I am committed to seeing Londoners respond with unity and in hope.

“That is why I’ve increased funding to tackle hate crime in our capital and why I’ve l launched our new ‘London for Everyone’ campaign. As we strive to build a better, safer and more equal London for everyone it is vital that we stand together and remember that we have far more in common than that which divides us.”

London's Victims' Commissioner, Claire Waxman, said: “It’s incredibly important that we come together as a city and stand united against all forms of hate. We know that, as a result of heightened tensions in the Middle East, there has been shocking increase in hate crime incidents which has impacted our Jewish and Muslim communities in particular. I welcome the Mayor’s new ‘London for Everyone’ campaign which is working to celebrate our rich diversity and empower Londoners to stand up against discrimination. The campaign, through the Community Alliance To Combat Hate (CATCH) partnership and the Mayor’s Shared Endeavour Fund, is also crucially funding specialist services to support victims of crime.”

Amy Roch, Deputy CEO of Galop, said: “At Galop, we’re seeing a significant rise in LGBT+ people experiencing abuse or violence because of who they are. The Government’s own figures show that there has been an increase of more than 37% in reported anti-LGBT+ hate crimes in the last two years. 

It’s more important than ever that anyone who experiences a hate crime in London knows that they have specialist support available to them. This is why Galop is incredibly proud to be a part of CATCH – an alliance of specialist charities who support victims of hate crime across London.  

CATCH is a vital service, funded and supported by the Mayor of London, that is here to provide victims of hate crime with advocacy, emotional support and practical advice. LGBT+ people and all minoritised communities in this country deserve to be safe and supported.” 

Dave Rich, Director of Policy, Community Security Trust (CST) said: “For the past six weeks London’s Jewish community has been on the receiving end of an unprecedented record spike in anti-Jewish hate crime that ought to be roundly condemned by all Londoners. It threatens to pull apart the fabric of our city and undermines the shared values that make London what it is today. The support and solidarity of the Mayor, shown in practical terms through the CATCH programme, not only provides practical help at a time when it is really needed; it sends a message to all that hate should have no place in London.”

Iman Abou Atta OBE, Director, Tell MAMA said: “The last five weeks have been difficult around the spike in anti-Muslim hate that has been reported into Tell MAMA. We know that such hate affects the mental, physical and emotional health of individuals and it also affects their sense of self and identity which also have longer term implications for people’s well-being. Anti-Muslim hate, like other forms of hate and prejudice, has no place in London and in our society. 

“We value and thank the Mayor for his continued support in ensuring that hate crime reporting work is supported and we know how much this ensures access to justice for victims of hate. Through the CATCH programme that the Mayor of London is supporting, we hope to support Londoners at this crucial time and make clear that anti-Muslim hate is not acceptable and that victims of anti-Muslim hate will be supported.”

Laurie Dalrymple, Harlequins Chief Executive Officer said: “We’re delighted to provide our support to the Mayor’s London For Everyone campaign. We’re proud that our club can help bring people together and celebrate the diversity of London. We will always stand alongside our communities – celebrating our differences, championing inclusivity and using the power of sport to bring us closer together.” Photo by The Big Lunch, Wikimedia commons.