Home Secretary criticises Leicestershire Police

"The police need to enforce actual laws."

The Home Secretary and Leicestershire Police are at odds over the forces hate crime social media posts.

Suella Braverman MP commented on Leicestershire Police's tweet that the police need to enforce 'actual laws and fight actual crimes.'

Leicestershire Police have now taken down their posts for National Hate Crime Awareness Week, including one about a transgender woman who has been misgendered.

Temporary Chief Constable Rob Nixon said: "We have now removed the posts and will be reviewing how we use stock images and raise awareness of hate crime going forward."

The police have also said that the words on the posts were 'example scenarios provided by an experienced police staff member who has significant knowledge of the different types of hate crime people can be and have been subjected to.'

This week I have seen confusion amongst police forces about what constitutes a ‘hate crime’.

The police need to enforce actual laws & fight actual crimes. Freedom of speech must be protected and a proportionate approach must be taken. 1/2 https://t.co/uoMrqSFC9M

— Suella Braverman (@SuellaBraverman) October 16, 2022