Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp, Brighton and Hove Police Commander and LGBT champion at Sussex Police reassures everyone attending IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia) that Sussex Police take all forms of Hate Crime seriously.
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The Commander was speaking last night, May 17, at the opening of the Brighton and Hove IDAHOBIT event on New Steine Gardens.
His comments came following two recent and separate homophobic attacks on young men in the city. He explained how the police attended the incidents quickly and arrests had been made. He thanked his officers, the public and the door staff at local venues for their help and said that any form of Hate Crime in the city would not be tolerated by Sussex Police. He urged people to always report all homophobic incidents to the police and if they did not want to talk to the police to report to the LGBT Community Safety Forum.
IDAHOBIT commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases.
This year’s event drew a larger crowd than usual to New Steine Gardens, where in the shadow of The Brighton Aids Memorial, Tay, The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Cllr Pete West assured everyone of the council’s determination to ensure that people from all of the city’s diverse communities are able to live safely and with respect.
In her speech, Maria Baker the Brighton and Hove Community Safety Forum BME representative encouraged people to report! report! report! all homophobic incidents to either the police or LGBT Community Safety Forum.
The gloriously talented poet Alice Denny performed three of her poems; Sochi, Normal and the powerful Universal Ugly Trans and following a minutes noise, the Rainbow Chorus, Brighton’s LGBT Community Choir brought the event to a close with rousing renditions of Hava Nagila, Shosholoza, Pokarekare, True Colours and The Rhythm of Life
.Politicians present included The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Cllr Pete West, Peter Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove and Portslade, Cllr Warren Morgan the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council and Phelim Mac Cafferty the Convenor of the Green group of councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council. Former Hove MP and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence Ivor Caplin was also present.
Warm drinks were provided by Lunch Positive, the HIV lunch club and volunteers from Samaritans were on hand to offer a listening ear.
If you are the victim of a Hate Crime call Sussex Police on 101 (non emergency) or in an emergency 999.
If you do not want to report direct to the police you can report to the Brighton and Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum in complete confidence on 01273 855 620 press option 2.
If you wish to talk to someone for advice and support you can telephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day on 08457 90 90 90.
