Racist and religious hate crimes increased by 20.35% in Camden in the 12 months to February 2022 compared to the previous 12 months.

Offences include racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and faith hate crimes.

Since February 2017, the highest number of hate crimes recorded in a month was in July last year, when 113 incidents were reported, suggesting the increase is not solely connected to the lifting of lockdown restrictions. In December 2021, 107 incidents were reported.

The average number of racist and religious hate crimes reported each month in the borough for the past five years is 67.5. Last year, reported incidents of racist and religious hate crimes went above the monthly average ten times.

A spokesperson from the Met Police said: "We have refreshed our overall approach to tackling hate crime in order to provide better support to victims, to enable a stronger response towards offenders of hate crime and to improve accessibility of our service to Londoners across all communities.

"In terms of policing operations, for the remainder of the financial year there will be a series of intensification weeks across London with the aim of arresting named suspects for hate crime investigations.

"We also continue to increase victim referrals to CATCH, a group of charities who give specialist help and advice to victims and witnesses of hate crime.

"We have a dedicated Hate Crime Policy & Development Team whose aim is to coordinate the Met's response to hate crime and deliver improvements for victims, working alongside hate crime performance and outcomes officers (HCOPs) who are based in every borough command unit (BCU)."

Anyone in London who is a victim of a hate crime is asked to report it to the police via 101 or tweeting @MetCC. Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online, or via the TruVision website: https://www.report-it.org.uk/