Peers vote to scrap non-crime hate incidents

"These incidents are broadly defined as acts appearing motivated by hostility towards individuals based on specific protected characteristics such as race, religion, disability, or gender but which ultimately do not constitute a criminal offence."

"London's Met Police last year confirmed it would no longer investigate such cases, notably after dropping a high-profile probe into social media posts concerning transgender issues by Father Ted creator Graham Linehan."

"Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood earlier this year told The Telegraph she would expect to see non-crime hate incidents changed, absolutely. She added: The question is, what do you do instead?"

The UK House of Lords voted to scrap non-crime hate incidents, nearly five months after the Metropolitan Police announced it would cease investigating them. Lord Toby Young formally proposed the abolition as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, which requires further parliamentary approval. Non-crime hate incidents are acts appearing motivated by hostility toward individuals based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, disability, or gender, but which do not constitute criminal offences. The Met Police's decision followed controversy over high-profile cases, including the investigation into social media posts by Father Ted creator Graham Linehan regarding transgender issues. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood indicated support for changing the policy, though questioned what alternative measures should replace it.

Read at www.independent.co.uk