A GOVERNMENT Minister has pledged tough action to crack down on race crime during a visit to Blackburn.

Home Office Minister Mike O'Brien made the vow in a speech to Blackburn REC's annual meeting last night.

He also praised the town's Racial Equality Council for its pioneering work to bring people together and combat racism.

He said: "I condemn all forms of harassment and violence, but there is something particularly abhorrent about racial crime.

"Racially motivated crime does not simply injure the victim or their property, it affects the whole family and it erodes the standards of decency of the wider community.

"Overnight, it can destroy trust and good relations built up over many years. It threatens the fabric of society.

"This government is determined to crack down on the mindless bigotry and thuggery which damages and destroys the lives of so many people in this country." He said he had spoken to victims, ranging from the family of a six-year-old girl to the family of a 76-year-old man, both targeted for vile abuse and harassment simply because of their race.

The government was introducing specific offences of racial aggravated harassment, violence and criminal damage and tackling the related problem of religiously motivated crime and abuse.

And he praised the work of Blackburn and other local RECs in playing "a crucial role in bringing together local communities and agencies to identify local strategy."

He said: "Blackburn REC has an excellent record. Your local knowledge and expertise enables you to take pertinent local action."

He praised it for establishing the Ethnic Minority Young Persons' Forum and highlighted the successful conference it hosted under the European Year Against Racism attended by Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw last year and the way it sponsored the launch of the Show Racism The Red Card anti-football prejudice campaign at Blackburn Rovers Ewood Park ground.

He also pointed out the REC's extremely successful racial harassment project.

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