SINN Féin Councillor Caoimhe McKnight has encouraged victims of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes to report them to the police.
She said: “It’s a very sad reality that homophobic and transphobic hate crimes continue to be committed in our society and there are concerns that many incidents are not being reported.
“Sinn Féin encourages people to report any such incidents to the PSNI.
“There can be no tolerance of homophobic, transphobic or other hate crimes and victims should feel confident that when they contact police their concerns will be taken seriously and responded to appropriately.
“Recently we have seen a number of initiatives taken by the PSNI to promoting equality in the delivery of its service to all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
“More work need to be done to break down the barriers faced by the LGB and T communities.
“One of the ways this can be down is by ensuring that all citizens regardless of race, religion or sexuality are equals in the eyes of the law.
“Sinn Féin remain committed to ensuring rights and equality for all,” added Councillor McKnight.
