Hate 'has no place in communities'

NATIONAL NO2H8 CRIME AWARDS

- Emily Braeger

A GROUP of "outstanding" and "inspirational" heroes who stood up against prejudice will be honoured with awards for the first time in three years tonight.

The national No2H8 Crime Awards come after there were 155,841 hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales in the year ending March 2022 - a 26 per cent rise compared with the previous year.

Shockingly, it was the greatest increase in hate crimes since the 29 per cent growth recorded in the year ending March 2017.

Among the nominees tonight is Blackpool footballer Jake Daniels, who this year became the UK's first male professional footballer to come out as publicly gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990.

The 17-year-old forward made the groundbreaking announcement at the end of his first season with the Championship club in May.

He said in a statement at the time: "This season has been a fantastic one for me on the pitch.

"But off the pitch I've been hiding the real me and who I really am. I've known my whole life that I'm gay, and I now feel that I'm ready to come out and be myself.

"It's a step into the unknown being one of the first footballers in this country to reveal my sexuality."

Jake is nominated as an Upstander - those who tackle hate in the Sports category at the event, which aims to energise, motivate and honour people up and down the country who have gone the extra mile to challenge prejudice and intolerance.

Barriers

As most of these people go unrecognised, the awards' public nomination process allows anyone or any organisation to be put forward for their work in countering hateful behaviour.

No2H8 Crime judging panellist Shabnam Chaudhri, a former detective superintendent of the Metropolitan Police who got a gong in 2017, said "so many amazing people" were put forward this year.