Victims of hate crimes encouraged to come forward by Gardai ahead of awareness day

An Garda Síochána is encouraging any victims of or witnesses to racism or a hate crime to come forward and report it. 

Their call comes ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which takes place on March 21. 

According to Gardai, a hate incident (crime) constitutes a criminal offence perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender. 

Gardai have stated 'ethnicity' includes Traveller and Roma peoples, 'religion' includes non-believers, and 'gender' includes transgender and intersex people, as well as gender identity, gender expression and gender exploration. 

A hate incident (non-crime) is any non-criminal offence perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender.