Luton residents unite to tackle hate crime and racism at town event
Luton residents came together to discuss tackling hate crime, racism and discrimination at a community event held at St Mary's Church.
The ‘No Place for Hate event’, organised by Luton Council during National Hate Crime Awareness Week, brought together community groups, organisations and residents to discuss how to challenge prejudice and make people feel safer in the town.
The gathering marked a year since the launch of Luton's Hate Crime Strategy, with Bedfordshire Police and Stop Hate UK providing an update on progress.
Superintendent Tom Stean, head of local policing at Bedfordshire Police, and Rose Simkins, chief executive of Stop Hate UK, shared figures showing an improvement in the proportion of reported hate crimes resulting in a solved outcome.
The rate increased from 13 per cent in 2023/24 to 16.9 per cent in 2025/26, with the latest figures for September 2026 showing it had reached 24.6 per cent.
Young people's experiences featured through ‘Can I Talk?’, a performance by Luton Irish Forum and Next Generation Youth Theatre (NGYT).
Four young performers and their mentor spoke afterwards about developing the project and the importance of giving young people opportunities to have their voices heard.
Councillor Rumi Chowdhury, portfolio holder for women, equalities and community safety at Luton Council, said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued in the place they call home. Hate and discrimination have no place in Luton and tackling them is a responsibility we all share.
“Hearing from our young people was a powerful reminder of why this work matters.”
She added: “Through our Hate Crime Strategy and the work of our partners and communities, we're taking practical steps to tackle hate. But lasting change depends on people across Luton continuing to listen, speak up and work together.”
Superintendent Stean said: “As public sector partners, we all have a duty to help prevent hate crime from occurring and to ensure those who commit it are brought to account.
“By working closely with our communities, as well as agencies across law enforcement, local government and statutory partners, we can help spread the important message that hate will not be tolerated.”
He said Bedfordshire Police's dedicated Cohesion team works to reduce tensions and build relationships with different communities, helping increase public trust and confidence in reporting hate crime.
Anyone who experiences or witnesses a hate crime can report it to Bedfordshire Police online or by calling 101.
Reports can also be made independently through Stop Hate UK, while emergencies should be reported by calling 999.