62-Year-Old Arrested in West Cumbria Over Alleged Religious Hate Crime

A 62-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an alleged religious hate crime in West Cumbria, police have confirmed.

The incident is understood to have taken place on Duke Street in Whitehaven at around 2pm on May 29, when officers were called following reports of racially or religiously aggravated abusive behaviour directed at two men.

Cumbria Police said the suspect is believed to have made abusive comments in a public setting, prompting an investigation into potential offences linked to religiously aggravated harassment and alarm.

The man, who is from Whitehaven, has been arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress. He has since been released on police bail while enquiries continue. Officers are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and are appealing for additional witnesses or any available video footage that may assist their enquiries.

Police have also said they are working to determine whether there may be further victims connected to the incident, as part of ongoing safeguarding and evidence-gathering efforts.

Hate crime, defined by authorities as behaviour motivated by prejudice or hostility towards a person’s identity or beliefs, remains a priority area for law enforcement, with officers continuing community engagement in affected areas. The investigation remains ongoing. 

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