Human rights groups in forefront of monitoring and reporting hate crimes in Europe

The Community Security Trust’s approach to tackling hate crime marks a “gold standard”, according to the director of A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe (CEJI) a European group training organisations that represent other minorities.

CEJI held a week-long training course in London offering advice to groups from across Europe on the most effective ways to detect and report hate crimes which target Jews, Muslims, homosexuals and other minorities.

CEJI director Robin Sclafani said British groups such as CST and Tell Mama — a support service for those who have suffered anti-Muslim attacks — were so far advanced in their reporting mechanisms that organisations from eastern Europe found it difficult to believe they could replicate their success.

Ms Sclafani said: “The numbers recorded are huge, and that is horrifying, but Britain is the most advanced in terms of reporting and tackling the problem.” She said minorities in other countries face the problem of authorities and police refusing to take their concerns seriously.