Two men arrested for inciting religious hatred

Cannock officers have made two arrests following reports of hate crimes being committed through comments made on social media.

We received a report of threats and racist abuse on social media and, following a swift investigation, local officers arrested two men last night (7 September).

Two men from Cannock, aged 36 and 56, were arrested on suspicion of publishing written material to stir up religious hatred, an offence created by Section 29C of the Public Order Act. Both men have been subsequently released on conditional bail whilst enquiries continue.

Chief Inspector Giles Parsons said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe and we have the responsibility to stand against hatred and discrimination of any kind and prevent further incidents from taking place. We will take robust action against anyone who makes threats or tries to incite hatred – whether this be online in written comments or in person. It simply will not be tolerated in our community.”

Anyone who is a victim of a hate crime should report it to us as soon as possible through the LiveChat service on our website or by dialling 999 in an emergency.