Attacks on Goths and Punks to be seen as hate crimes

Greater Manchester Police are to relate to attacks on these groups as ‘hate crimes’.

15:58 04 April 2013

The Greater Manchester Police force are to be first to add Goths and Punks to the ‘hate crimes’ list for victims of abuse, it has emerged.

 The move would mean that any attacks carried out against Goth, Punk, as well as Emo, groups would be treated in a comparable way to offences against hate crime victims.

The five areas currently in place with regards to this are;

 

• Disabled individuals

• Race

• Religion

• Sexual preference

• Transgender

 

The police for Greater Manchester would then record offenses against the Goth, Punk and Emo groups as hate crime.

 

It is thought that a reason for Greater Manchester Police wanting to make the hate crime list longer may also relate to the death of a female from the region. Sophie Lancaster died after being attacked in Lancashire in 2007. Since her tragic death, a group has been set up called The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

 

The Sophie Lancaster Foundation has focused on hate crime and laws that co-inside with this in regards to certain ‘subculture’ groups.

 

Based on reports, the police for the Greater Manchester area mentioned that action to extend the hate crime list may not mean harsher sentencing, although reportedly, it may help with regards to support for those who are attacked.