"One of my priorities as Justice Minister has been to improve
support and legislative protections for victims of hate crime.
When someone is targeted because of who they are, where they are
from, or what they believe, it is completely unacceptable.
"There is existing legislation in place that provides a range of
protections for those who are harassed, intimidated or, on
occasion, attacked, simply because of the colour of their skin.
"However, I am committed to introducing the most impactful hate
crime provisions from Judge Marrinan's Review of Hate Crime
Legislation in the current mandate through a Sentencing Bill and
a Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill. DoJ officials are also
engaged in ongoing work with other Departments to tackle the
enabling factors of hate crime.
"Racism and sectarianism in Northern Ireland are two sides of the
one coin. Racist attitudes and the growing anti-migrant sentiment
in Northern Ireland will only be addressed through a partnership
approach, and will not be solved by one Department alone.
"If any individual suspects that a crime has been committed, I
would encourage them to report it to the PSNI.
"I would also urge people not to get involved in this despicable
behaviour. You will be held to account and the penalties could
include a prison sentence.
"As a society we must not stand by and tolerate racism or
intimidation."
