Cardiff University is investing £250,000 into Brexit hate crime study

They are working with Metropolitan Police and the Home Office


A £250,000 study led by Cardiff University experts will track hate crime following the Brexit vote in June 2016.

The aim of the study is to trace hate crime on social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, in order to help the police kerb cases of abuse.

Protestors in Cardiff City Centre following the inauguration of President Trump

Cardiff University’s Social Data Science Lab has worked with the Metropolitan Police, the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Hate crimes in Wales increased by 60% in the month following the EU referendum, in comparison to one year previously.

Those researching will be part of the study over a twelve-month process, collecting data from June 23rd 2016.

Professor Matthew Williams, Director of the Social Data Science Lab and a Criminology lecturer at Cardiff University, said: “The referendum on the UK’s future in the European Union has galvanised certain prejudiced opinions held by a minority of people, resulting in a spate of hate crimes.”