Specialist LGBT officers support pride event in Keighley
“Sadly, hate crime is still a reality and we take incidents of this nature very seriously."
Last updated 23rd Aug 2021
West Yorkshire Police supported a Keighley Pride event which took place over the weekend.
Keighley Pride, held at Cliffe Castle, saw more than 200 people brave the rain to celebrate and increase awareness of the support available to the LGBTQ+ community. There were several stalls, entertainment, and a socially distanced picnic.
West Yorkshire Police Officers supported the event, and hosted a stall offering advice around hate crime reporting and support services available to victims of crime.
Hate crime often has a significant impact on victims because a they are targeted due to their disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or transgender identity.
West Yorkshire Police is keen to stamp out hate crime against the LGBTQ+ community, and encourage victims to speak out, as incidents of this nature often go unreported.
Sergeant Dave Purcell of the Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We know that many people have struggled with their mental health over the past year so it’s fantastic to see community events like this starting up again. I hope this is the first of many Pride celebrations in the town and we look forward to supporting the event again next year.
“It was a good turnout and we had four specials officers and two specialist LGBT officers support the event, which was great.
“Sadly, hate crime is still a reality and we take incidents of this nature very seriously. We encourage you to report to us if you are a victim of this type of crime.
“We will listen, we will take you seriously and we will take action. We don’t want you to feel fearful reporting incidents to us, and you will be treated with sensitivity and understanding.”