LONDON, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Religious hate crimes, particularly against Muslims, have increased 600 percent since the London bombings on July 7, police figures indicate.
In London there were 269 religious hate crimes in the three weeks following July 7, compared to 40 in the same period last year, Scotland Yard said Wednesday. There were 68 such incidents in the capital in the first three days alone, compared to none in 2004.
Though most were verbal abuse and minor assaults, they had a considerable "emotional impact" on the community, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said.
Communities were particularly angered by the increased use of stop-and-search and the "shoot-to-kill-to-protect" policy against suspected suicide bombers, he said.
Scotland Yard also cautioned that the increase might not be as great as it appeared because of a change in the way such crimes are recorded. Previously all race hate crimes were recorded together, with no separate category for religious hate crimes.
