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Tag: 17-24-30

All the latest breaking news on the anti-hate crime campaign, 17-24-30. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of articles, news and commentary on the charity 17-24-30.

  • Met police supports National Hate Crime Awareness Week

    Met police supports National Hate Crime Awareness Week

    The Metropolitan Police Service supports National Hate Crime Awareness Week which launched on Saturday, 10 October, and across London officers will be holding a range of events to get the public talking about hate crime and how to tackle it.

    National Hate Crime Awareness Week (National HCAW) is an annual event organised by charity 17-24-30 National HCAW, which aims to bring people together in solidarity against hate crime in all its forms. 

    Throughout the week, the Met is working with partners, charities and local authorities to highlight support available to victims, raise awareness, and encourage victims of hate crime to report it.

    Due to the coronavirus restrictions, most of the events are being held online. However, there will be real-world community drop-in events at venues that can be made COVID-19 safe, throughout the week. There will also be enforcement activity, targeting offenders wanted for offences where hate crime is a feature.

    The outbreak of COVID-19 has presented many new challenges for the Met and policing as a whole. In London, there was a rise in reports of racially-aggravated hate crime incidents where certain communities were targeted due to the pandemic.

    In response to this, alongside our enforcement work, hate crime advice leaflets and videos were translated into a number of languages and distributed to the affected communities to ensure victims knew where to go to seek support, and how to report to police or other organisations.

    Between September 2019 and August 2020, hate crime reports saw a 12.7 per cent increase compared with the previous 12 months.

    Superintendent Waheed Khan, the Met’s Lead Responsible Officer (LRO) for hate crime, said, “London is a city that celebrates diversity and tolerance, and in 2020 no-one should be discriminated against because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.

    “The Met takes all reports of hate crime extremely seriously, and we work with partners to support victims and identify offenders. During the coronavirus pandemic, we have continued this work despite the challenges. 

    “We have Hate Crime Co-ordinators working across all London boroughs engaging with affected communities. The Met also has a Central Hate Crime Hub which supports investigations into hate crimes committed both in the real world and online.

    “While there has been a rise in the number of hate crimes reported which may be due to victims feeling more confident and empowered to report incidents, there is still work to be done. 

    “We know that some victims might be reluctant to, or not think to report hate crimes committed against them to police, and they often aren’t aware of the support available to them. 

    “We would urge anyone who has experienced hate crime and not spoken to police to come forward – we will take it seriously. If you don’t want to speak to police, there are other ways you can get help and support.”

    The Met’s main hate crime partners form the CATCH alliance, a group of anti-hate crime charities which include TellMAMA (Islamophobia) Galop (anti-LGBT+ hate crime), and the Community Security Trust (anti-Semitism).

    Hate crime is any crime deriving from hostility or prejudice towards a person because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. Incidents may involve a physical attack, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse, or abuse using social media.

    How to report a Hate Crime

    To report a hate crime, call police on 101, report online or tweet @MetCC.

    If there is an immediate risk or an emergency situation, always call 999. Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online, or via the TruVision website.

    For advice about how to report hate crime, go to our website. 

    + The Met has arranged a large number of free hate crime events online that are open to the public and will feature a range of guest speakers. They will be held on Zoom and British Sign Language will be available. Many of these events have been organised locally.

    Further information about a small selection of webinars is available by clicking the links below:

    – Race: Monday, 12 October – 14:00 to 17:00hrs

    – Religion: Tuesday, 13 October – 11:00 to 13:00hrs

    – Disability: Wednesday, 14 October – 12:00 to 14:00hrs

    – Sexual Orientation: Thursday, 15 October – 09:30 to 12:30hrs

    – Gender Identity: Friday, 16 October – 11:00 to 13:00hrs

  • April’s Acts Of Remembrance by 17-24-30 cancelled, and to go online

    April’s Acts Of Remembrance by 17-24-30 cancelled, and to go online

    The annual Acts Of Remembrance organised by the 17-24-40 National Hate Crime Awareness Week to remember three attacks that terrorised London’s minorities during April 1999, resulting in the nail bombing of the Admiral Duncan pub have been cancelled following the Government’s advice that there are to be no public gatherings of more than two people.

    The nail bomb attack on the Admiral Duncan pub killed three people and injured 70 more.

    Every year the charity organises three events to mark the bombings that took place in Brixton, Brick Lane and in Soho. This year those events have been cancelled and an online event will take place instead.

    The organisation also paid tribute to a volunteer who sadly passed away in March.

    Paul Quigley volunteered for the organisation sadly died in March from complications from COVID-19.

    17-24-30 cancelled all volunteer sessions on the 10th March – before the government ordered the UK into lockdown.

    “One of a kind”

    A spokesperson for 17-24-30 said, “It’s very difficult to find the words we need to express our sadness at losing Paul, he was one of a kind.

    “Paul was a popular guy, a genuine warm-hearted soul who could be quite outspoken at times. He had a gorgeous smile and the ability to make those around him laugh with his witty observations. He will be sorely missed. Our love and condolences go out to his family and friends”.

    Where will the Acts Of Remembrance take place?

    There will be three online Acts of Remembrance to mark the 21st anniversaries of the London Nail Bomb attacks on Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho.

    You can register to join here: Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho.

  • There’s going to be an Act Of Remembrance for the 20th anniversary of the Admiral Duncan bombing

    Pride in London joins 17-24-30 NationalHCAW to mark 20 years since Admiral Duncan bombing

    • On 30th April 1999 a nail bomb attack at the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho killed three people and wounded 79
    • Soho attack followed two other nail bombings in Brixton on 17th April and Brick Lane on 24th April as part of a homophobic, racist terror campaign
    • Soho Act of Remembrance marking the 20th anniversary of the attacks will take place at 5pm on Tuesday 30th April outside the Admiral Duncan

    Pride in London is joining anti-hate charity 17-24-30 NationalHCAW (National Hate Crime Awareness Week) this Tuesday (30th April) to mark the 20th anniversary of the London nail bombings and remember those killed during the attacks: Nik Moore, Andrea Dykes and John Light.

    On 30th April 1999, three people were killed and 79 injured when a nail bomb was detonated at the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho, the heart of London’s gay community. At the time the pub and the street outside were particularly crowded because the evening was the start of the early May Bank Holiday weekend. Four of the survivors had to have limbs amputated.

    An Act of Remembrance marking 20 years since the attacks is planned for Tuesday evening, starting outside the Admiral Duncan and then moving round to St Anne’s Gardens on Wardour Street. The latter part will feature speeches from: Rev Simon Buckley, St Anne’s Church; Mark Healey, Founder 17-24-30 NationalHCAW and Cllr Ian Adams, Westminster Council – as well as three poems read by Trudy Howson, LGBT Poet Laureate; Terry Morely, Nik Moore’s aunt and Natalie Patterson, Andrea Dyke’s sister, and performances by the London Gay Men’s Chorus, the Pink Singers and Diversity Choir.

    Embed from Getty Images

    The bombing in Soho followed two connected attacks in other parts of the capital: Brixton on 17th April and Brick Lane on 24th April. Though there were no fatalities, 61 people were injured by the blasts. These attacks were racially-motivated and targeted the black community in south London and the Bangladeshi Muslim community in the East End. Smaller acts of remembrance took place in both locations on the respective dates as part of 17-24-30 NationalHCAW’s April Acts of Remembrance.

    Mark Healey, Founder of 17-24-30 NationalHCAW, said, “It’s hugely important that our communities come together to mark the anniversaries of these horrendous events. We have a duty to remember those we lost, to show our ongoing support to those affected by these attacks, and most importantly to educate the next generation to make sure these kinds of attacks never happen again.

    “We’re good at dealing with the immediate aftermath of these kinds of attacks but more needs to be done to deal with their longer-term impact on our communities. Some of the survivors and the families affected by these attacks are still suffering and need more support. I hope our April Acts of Remembrance inspire people to get involved, to build stronger links between all our communities and ensure there is no place for hate amongst us.”

    The Soho Act of Remembrance will take place at 5pm on Tuesday 30th April outside the Admiral Duncan on Old Compton Street, Soho. So the organisers can gauge how many people will attend, please register here if you plan to join the act of remembrance.

  • Prime Minister Recognises The Work Of Anti-Hate Campaigner Mark Healey

    A campaigner from Lewisham who founded the remembrance and hate crime prevention charity ‘17-24-30 No to Hate Crime Campaign’ and started a national week to challenge prejudice has been named a Point of Light by Prime Minister David Cameron in the run up to Pride in London.

    Mark Healey has become synonymous with campaigning to end all forms of hate crime in London. He founded the 17-24-30 group on Facebook in April 2009 to mark the tenth anniversary of the London Nail Bomb attacks in Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho – bombings motivated by racism and homophobia. In the same year, Mark went on to organise a candlelit vigil in Trafalgar Square in response to the homophobic murder of Ian Baynham which saw over 10,000 people come together in London and inspired parallel events in the US and Canada. The London Vigil against hate crime brought a lot of comfort to Ian’s family and inspired the launch of an International Day of Hope and Remembrance which is marked by vigils around the UK on the 3rd Saturday of October.

    17-24-30 has since grown into a community organisation whose core aims are to bring people together, to remember those killed and injured, to provide people with support and to raise funds to tackle hate crime in our communities. The charity organises and facilitates the April Acts of Remembrance on the 17th, 24th and 30th April each year – which include outreach events in Brixton and Brick Lane and a short service in St Anne’s Gardens in Soho.

    Mark has also gone on to establish National Hate Crime Awareness Week every October to raise awareness and tackles all form of hate crime. The first week was launched in 2012 with a special service at St Paul’s Cathedral to remember victims of hate crimes, and Mark received messages of support from all the main political party leaders for the most recent event.

    Mark, 45 from Reading is the latest recipient of a Point of Light award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers, people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others. Each day, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements.

    Prime Minister David Cameron said:

    “As Prime Minister I am personally committed to tackling hate crime, prejudice and discrimination in all its forms. It has no place in our country and I immensely grateful to Mark for all that he has done. As we look forward to this year’s Pride in London – which is another cornerstone of national commitment to tackling prejudice – I am proud to recognise all that Mark has achieved. He truly is a Point of Light.”

    Mark said:

    “I am very honoured to be recognised as a Point of Light by the Prime Minister for my voluntary work with the 17-24-30 No to Hate Crime Campaign/charity. As with all recognition I dedicate my work to those who have been taken away from us through acts of hate, in particular I dedicate this award to the memory of Nik Moore, John Light and Andrea Dykes who lost their lives in The Admiral Duncan nail bomb attack, and to David Morley (aka Sinders) killed by a gang of teenagers in a so-called “happy slapping” attack as he walked home along the South Bank.

    “I am passionate about making the world a better place by tackling all forms of hate in our communities and I hope that the National Hate Crime Awareness Week #HCAW I have created helps inspire every politician, every local authority, every police service and every community affected by hate crime to work more closely together to tackle all forms of hate. There should be no place for hate in any of our communities – so let’s work together to make them safer places for all.

    “I also want to encourage people to consider volunteering and think about what they can do to benefit and improve their local communities. It is very rewarding knowing that we are all capable of stepping in and doing something good. That we all have the ability to be a positive influence on the outcome of events around us.”

    Women and Equalities Minister Nicky Morgan said:

    “Congratulations to Mark on his Point of Light award. No one should have to live in fear or suffer in silence. His efforts to help stamp out prejudice and discrimination in the local community are a huge achievement, and one he should rightly be proud of.”

    Mark’s local MP Vicky Foxcroft said:

    “I was delighted to hear that my constituent Mark Healey had won a Point of Light Award. Mark has spent many years campaigning to end all forms of hate crime in London, most recently establishing National Hate Crime Awareness Week. It’s fantastic to see hard working volunteers like Mark receiving the recognition they deserve.”

    Mark is the 272nd winner of the new Points of Light award which has been developed in partnership with the hugely successful Points of Light programme in the USA and was first established by President George H. W. Bush. Over 5,000 US Points of Light have been awarded and both President George H. W. Bush and President Barack Obama have publicly supported the partnership with Points of Light UK which honours shining examples of volunteering across the country.

    Regardless of whether it’s a doctor restoring local monuments in her free time, a father teaching young people life skills, or a local musician giving a voice to lonely people, the Point of Light award honours shining examples of volunteering across the UK.

  • Soho Remembers Soho Nail Bomb Attack 15 Years On

    At approximately 6.10pm a group will the walk round to St Anne’s Garden in Waldour Street for a short service in the gardens next to the Triangular Bench (which was commissioned after the attacks to represent the link between Westminster, Tower Hamlets and Lambeth) and the three cherry trees which were planted in memory of the Soho victims. Earlier this year one of the three cherry trees was replaced.

    Today is the 15th anniversary of the Soho bomb, so 17-24-30 have invited representatives from Westminster, Tower Hamlets and Lambeth to join them this year to reaffirm their cross-borough commitment to tackling all forms of hate crime.

    Honorary Alderman Miss Frances Blois will be representing the Lord Mayor of Westminster, joined by the Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman and Cllr Christopher Wellbelove representing the late Mayor of Lambeth Cllr Mark Bennett.

    The Diversity Choir will be joining them this year to perform a couple of songs after the three minute silence that will take place at 6.37pm (the time of the Soho bomb), a minute for each of the three bombs – Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho, and for each of the Soho victims John Light, Andrea Dykes and Nick Moore.

    Members of the Moore family have confirmed that they will be attending this year, along with survivors from the Brixton and Soho nail bomb attacks.

    If you have a twitter account you can tweet your support for the Soho Remembers 17-24-30 Act of Remembrance 30th April 2014 by using the hashtag #SohoRemembers172430

  • Stolen Soho Bombing Victims’ Plaque Replaced

    Stolen Soho Bombing Victims’ Plaque Replaced

    The missing original plaque dedicated to the three victims of the Soho nail bomb attack in April 1999 has been replaced ahead of memorial event tomorrow evening.

     

    We reported yesterday that the plaque dedicated to the memory of Andrea Dykes, John Little and Nick Moore had gone missing from St. Anne’s Gardens in Soho, London ahead of the memorial event planned for the 30th April – which will be the 14th anniversary of the attack.

    The nail bomb, which went off on the 30th April 1999 in the Admiral Duncan was aimed at the gay community in Soho. It was the 3rd of three attacks planned and orchestrated by David Copeland who is currently serving six concurrent life sentences and in 2007 the High Court ruled that he must serve 50 years.

    A replacement plaque has been ordered and will be on display at tomorrow’s memorial event held in Soho.

    Cllr Ed Argar, Westminster City Council cabinet member for city management, said:

    “I find it appalling that anyone would steal the memorial plaque remembering those who died and were injured in the horrific Soho bombing of 1999.

    “We have moved swiftly to get a replacement memorial delivered and installed ahead of the 14th anniversary of the Soho bombings tomorrow (Tuesday 30th April), having been alerted to its removal, and we hope it will be in place later today.”

    The new plaque has cost £260, with half being paid by Westminster City Council and 17-24-30.org paying the other.

    The replacement plaque will be installed this afternoon and reads:

    Andrea Dykes D.O.B 30-11-1971

    John Light D.O.B 27-04-1967

    Nick Moore D.O.B 24-05-1967

    Deceased 30-04-1999 in the Admiral Duncan Bombing

    Goodness Is Stronger Than Evil

  • Soho Bombing Victims’ Plaque Missing

    The original Soho Bomb memorial plaque has gone missing according to Mark Healey, the founder of the anti-hate campaign 17-24-30.org, from its position in St. Anne’s Gardens in Soho, London.

    Soho Nail Bombing Victim Plague

    The memorial remembers the three victims who lost their lives in the blast which ripped through the popular Soho pub, the Admiral Duncan in April 1999, killing Andrea Dykes, John Light and Nick Moore.

    The Soho nail bomb was the 3rd of three attacks planned and orchestrated by David Copeland. He planted the other two bombs in Brixton (17th April 1999) and Brick Lane (24th April 1999).

    He is currently serving six concurrent life sentences and in 2007 the High Court ruled that he must serve 50 years.

    In a statement from 17-24-30 the organisers of the Act Of Remembrance which is to take place on the 30th April have said that, ’17-24-30 have agreed to help cover the costs so that it can be ordered straight away and hopefully in place ready for the service on Tuesday 30th April – marking the 14th anniversary of the attacks.’

    The new plaque will cost £260 and it is hoped that it will be delivered and installed before Tuesday’s service.

  • Candle Of Hope Lights Up St. Paul’s Cathedral

    At 6.30pm Saturday 13th October an Act of Remembrance and Renewal was held at St Paul’s Cathedral to launch the first National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

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  • St Paul’s Cathedral To Host Launch Of 17-24-30 Hate Crime Week

    On the 13th October at 6.30pm an Act of Remembrance for all those affected by Hate Crime will take place in St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the first National Hate Crime Awareness Week organised by 17-24-30.

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