Statement from the Mayor of Kingston on unrest around the country
The Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames condemns unrest taking place around the country and reiterates commitment to standing together with all communities.
Councillor Liz Green said:
We stand together with those who have been impacted by the violence and hate around the country over the past few days.
Kingston is one of the safest boroughs in London and we have a strong culture of welcoming and supporting people from all communities and including them in life across the borough. We have a desire to stand alongside communities and I underline our commitment to being recognised as a ‘Borough of Sanctuary’. Kingston should remain a welcoming place for all.
While we have not experienced the scale of unrest in Kingston, we know the situation will be extremely concerning for our residents and communities. We are working closely with the Metropolitan Police, community partners and our places of worship to keep people safe and monitor any community tensions. We would like to thank the police and community leaders for their ongoing support.
If you or anyone you know experiences hate crime, you can find out more on our website. Alternatively, you can visit report-it.org.uk for other ways to report hate crime.Reporting incidents not only increases the chances of bringing perpetrators to justice, it also improves how the police measure local community tensions and allocate resources.
There is no place for hate in Kingston and I am extremely proud to be Mayor of our diverse and inclusive borough.