Hate has no place on London's rail and Tube network - or anywhere else', says police chief

"As the Divisional Commander responsible for policing the railway network in London, I'd like to be absolutely clear that any form of abuse, intimidation and violence - especially that which is motivated by hate - is utterly abhorrent and will not be tolerated by the British Transport Police. Thankfully, Lee knew how to report what was happening - using our text number 61016 - allowing us to send officers to meet them, make sure they got home safely, and launch an investigation into the offenders."

"When I joined BTP in 2006, I remember reporting a homophobic hate crime I'd experienced at a major city station. At the time, it was the only one on record. I knew I couldn't be the only one - it just wasn't being reported. That experience has stayed with me and shaped how I lead today. Since then, we've come a long way. We now have access to thousands of live CCTV feeds across the network, and both uniformed and plain clothes officers ready to respond quickly."

The Divisional Commander affirms zero tolerance for abuse, intimidation and hate-motivated violence across the London railway network. A discreet text-reporting service (61016) enables rapid officer response, safe escorts home and offender investigations. A personal 2006 experience of an underreported homophobic hate crime influenced current leadership and reporting encouragement. Technological and operational improvements now include thousands of live CCTV feeds and both uniformed and plain-clothes officers prepared to respond. National Hate Crime Awareness Week commemorates the 1999 nail bombings and underscores the need to oppose hate. Reported hate crimes appear to be rising, with racial offences most prevalent and others targeting gender, sexuality or disability; officers can also be victims.

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