Playing politics with the Hate Crime Bill is “reckless and dangerous”, a campaign group has warned, as new figures show a rise in hate crimes. The Coalition Against Hate Crime, a group of 23 civil society organisation, is calling on the Government to recommit to the Hate Crime Bill. “Those who are opposing it and questioning it, are the people who don’t experience hate crime and hate speech,” Mr Collins added. “When a Traveller or any other member of a vulnerable group experiences hate speech, and in particular hate crime, if a Traveller experiences hate crime in Donegal, that will send a shiver down the spine of Travellers in Dublin because it’s an attack on the community.”He added: “We do not have any robust, effective legislation to deal with victims of hate speech and hate crime. She also said that without hate crime legislation, Ireland has been unable to address hate crime in the criminal justice system.

Source: Irish Examiner May 08, 2024 19:12 UTC