UK police to record anti-Muslim hate crimes as separate category

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is set to attend the first meeting of a new community engagement forum

The British government said anti-Muslim hate crimes will be recorded as a separate category by all police forces across England and Wales.

According to the government, creating a separate category across the board would enable police, prosecutors, councils and the communities they serve to have a better understanding of the prevalence of anti-Muslim hate crime and allocate resources accordingly.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is set to attend the first meeting of a new community engagement forum to announce new funding for the security of all faith establishments, including mosques, according to reports.

The forum will discuss the objectives of the government’s upcoming counter-extremism strategy, which is due for publication later this month.

Hate crimes in England and Wales have risen by 18%, UK the Home Office said. Statistics show that police recorded 52,528 hate crimes in 2014 to 2015, up from 44,471 in 2013 to 2014.

Hate crime is defined as an offence which is perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on a personal characteristic.