Falmouth Town Council says it is committed to ensuring that the port remains a safe place to live following recent reports of hate crime in the town.

The town council says it wants to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring that Falmouth remains a safe place to live and visit for residents and visitors alike.

The statement comes following the racist abuse of a shop owner and homophobic graffiti in the children's play area in Kimberley Park. On Sunday it was also reported that razor blades and sharpened cans had also been left in the park.

A rise in anti-social behaviour across the town has also become cause for concern.

The council says it has been working hard in the last year with the hate crime team at Devon and Cornwall Police to ensure that it is as well-equipped as it can be to tackle any form of hate in the community.

Measures adopted include Falmouth Town Council becoming a "third party reporter" to the police, ongoing networking and signposting to local support services for those who have experienced hate crimes first hand and the adoption of a communications campaign to encourage people to report hate crimes to the police.

As part of the communications campaign, Falmouth Town Council says it continues to work with local bars, restaurants, and shops on the adoption of a poster and coaster campaign designed to make reporting hate crimes to the police as easy as possible. All businesses that sign up for the campaign agree to display posters and coasters highlighting the issue of hate crimes.

These posters also display a QR code that, when scanned, automatically directs people to a simple form on the Devon and Cornwall police website where they can report a hate crime.

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In addition, many Falmouth town councillors have also completed "support to report" training. This allows residents to approach councillors as individuals and for the council to report crimes on their behalf, from which point the police and victim will liaise directly.

Deputy mayor, Cllr Kirstie Edwards, speaking on behalf of the council said: “Falmouth Town Council will continue to work alongside the police and our partners to do everything in our power to make everyone living in or visiting Falmouth, feel safe and supported.

"Writing on children’s play equipment and verbally attacking and threatening people in their place of work is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. As a council, we are united in our opposition to anyone who thinks it is ok to abuse people based on their sexuality, gender, race, disability, or religion.”