Lancaster students angry after claims of rise in hate crimes
- Published
The letter details a number of alleged hate crimes
More than 50 students in Lancaster have signed a letter calling for action after they were targeted in an apparent rise in assaults and racist abuse.
They also claimed to have suffered anti-Semitic and racially-charged slurs, according to the letter.
It has been signed by Lancaster University students and organisations such as the Jewish Society.
Councillor Oliver Robinson raised concerns about a raft of attacks, some by gangs at a city council meeting.
The letter, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, alleges another incident saw a group of male students attacked by teenagers and young men as they walked home, with one student hit with a rubber baseball.
A student was also punched, kicked and hit with a glass bottle by a group of men who had been thrown out of a city centre club, the letter claims.
It also states abuse was hurled at students during a recent protest against the invasion of Ukraine, as well as theft, damage and break-ins at homes.
The Labour councillor, who is also president of Lancaster University Students' Union, said: "There is a feeling the issue is getting quite bad."
'Extremely concerned'
City council leader Caroline Jackson said in response: "The Community Safety Partnership will be interested to see evidence of hate crime and this should also be going to specialist police officers.
"It's also evidence of a community problem, which is a partnership issue. We will seen what more we can do to help."
A Lancaster University spokeswoman said: "We have followed up with the police who made us aware of general issues of anti-social behaviour they are seeking to address, but we are not aware of students specifically being targeted in the city.
"However, we are extremely concerned students are reporting intimidation and urge any students to report incidents to the university as well as police."
Lancashire Police has been contacted by the BBC for comment.
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, external, Twitter, external and Instagram, external? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk