Rise Of Hate Crimes Topic Of Forum In West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — No town is immune to crimes of hate, where race, religion, and gender motivate offenders to commit heinous acts.

This week, West Hartford is hosting a special "community conversation" on hate crimes with state and local law enforcers.

It will take place Thursday, May 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium, 50 S. Main St., West Hartford.

Event organizers said hate crimes have been "steadily rising in Connecticut in recent years."

Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins, Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin, West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick, and the members of the Hate Crimes Investigative Unit of the Connecticut State Police are expected to be on hand Thursday.

Guests are invited to join participants for a discussion about how the state and communities are responding.

Those in attendance will learn how hate crimes are identified, reported, and investigated -- and how you can play a role in preventing them.

Such crimes run the gamut on the legal spectrum and range from anti-semitic graffiti to physically assaulting people of color.

In April 2024, in West Hartford, a swastika was found on a bathroom wall at Hall High School.

Then, in nearby Southington last month, two white men were charged with assaulting a mixed-race couple walking on the sidewalk.

For more information on this event, contact Michael Bloom, Hate Crimes Initiative Coordinator, at Michael.Bloom@ct.gov.

From April 25: '2 Men Accused Of Violent Hate Crimes In Southington: Police'

From April 29, 2024: 'Swastika Found In High School Bathroom In West Hartford'