While Cornwall is often seen as a friendly and inclusive place, we recognise that this is not always the experience for everyone. We are committed to building a community where diversity is celebrated and where racism, in any form, is not tolerated.
Our goal is to make Cornwall a place where people from all backgrounds feel valued - whether they live here, work here, or are just visiting. We are taking active steps to become an anti-racist community, and we invite everyone to be part of this.
How we are tackling racism in Cornwall
Racism has no place in Cornwall. We are working to become an actively anti-racist place to live, work, and visit. Following George Floyd’s death in 2020, Council leaders endorsed key recommendations to tackle racial inequality. We established an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Board and are guided by our EDI Strategy (2022–2026).
We are actively
- Promoting inclusion through our strategic Cornwall Plan.
- Reviewing policies, recruitment, and staff training.
- Supporting refugee integration and developing a Race Equality Action Plan.
- Partnering with Race Equality Matters to improve workplace equality.
- Hosting regular staff #TeaBreaks and participating in Race Equality Week campaigns like #MyNameIs and The Big Promise.
- Recognised with a Bronze Trailblazer Award in 2022.
- We work with community and voluntary groups to support resettled people. We also celebrate multiculturalism through local events and drop-in sessions.
Say No to Hate Crime
Devon and Cornwall Police has very clear advice and guidance regarding hate crime. If you are experiencing any hostility or prejudice toward you it is really important to report it. This is so that the police can take action.
What is a Hate Crime?
A hate crime is any criminal behaviour where the victim or any other person feels the victim has been targeted based on hostility towards:
- A person’s disability
- Their race, ethnicity or nationality
- Their religion or belief
- Their sexual orientation
- Their transgender identity
- Their sex or gender
Online Hate and Incitement
We must work together to educate against all forms of hate, including the posting and sharing of hateful or prejudiced content online. Online hate and incitement can seriously affect the safety and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.
It’s easy to take online information at face value. Pause and think before you post or comment. Fact-check information using multiple sources. Also, consider how you would feel if the post or comment targeted someone in your own family.
“If a post is hostile towards a person’s race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, it could be viewed as Hate Speech. If it is serious enough, it may break the law, whether it is online or offline.”
Stop Hate UK
Incitement to Hatred
Incitement to hatred is a criminal offence. It occurs when someone behaves in a threatening way with the intent to stir up hatred. This can include words, images, videos, music, or any content shared online.
Examples of Hate Content:
- Messages calling for violence against a specific person or group
- Web pages showing images, videos, or descriptions of violence based on perceived differences
- Chat forums encouraging others to commit hate crimes against individuals or groups