The common response most people received over the last couple of days who signed the online Downing Street petition to widen the definition of Hate Crime to accommodate crimes against a person based on their appearance or subcultural interests was……….

You have signed an e-petition suggesting that the definition of ‘hate crime’ be widened to include crimes committed on the basis of a person’s appearance or interests.

The Government’s current definition of ‘hate crime’ is as follows:

Within this broad definition, legislation focuses on hate crimes on the basis of race, faith, sexual orientation, disability and gender identity – and it is these categories which are currently monitored. We do not plan to extend this to include hatred against people on the basis of their appearance or sub-cultural interests. These are not intrinsic characteristics of a person and could be potentially be very wide ranging, including for example allegiance to football teams – which makes this a very difficult category to legislate for. However, it is important to remember that this is within a legal framework that assumes that all violence is a very serious matter; and in addition, judges have discretion to look at a wide range of mitigating and aggravating factors when they are sentencing – and are likely to view attacks motivated by hatred of this kind as very serious indeed.

Basically, a big fat NO.

Does anybody else see a problem with this?

Over 7,000 people signed that petition, more would had the mainstream media picked up a bit more on this case.

Disgraceful. Why do we elect these people?

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