Police in Hull investigate race hate website claims

Police are investigating comments on a social networking site calling for foreigners be "kicked out of Hull".

The group, which had about 700 followers, included abuse aimed at immigrants in the city, particularly Kosovans. It has now been removed.

Hull City Council referred the matter to Humberside Police after receiving a complaint from a member of the public.

Police are looking at the content to determine whether it could be deemed to have broken race hate laws.

Adil Khan, the force's diversity and cohesion manager, said: "Humberside Police take this kind of action very seriously and have had the site shut down.

I think most people have a sense of decency within them that would question the extremity of some of the comments we have seen Alister McClure, Hull council strategic equalities and cohesion manager

"An investigation into the site is now under way in order to identify those responsible."

Alister McClure, strategic equalities and cohesion manager for Hull City Council, said: "This matter was brought to our attention by a member of the public.

"Due to its offensive and abusive content, we and others have referred it to the police for investigation.

"As a council that is working throughout the city to build cohesive communities, we deplore racial hatred or any form of offensive behaviour."

'Encouraging' violence

He said the council did not wish to stifle legitimate debate on issues such as immigration.

"I am not going to comment on the individual case because there is a police investigation going on, but in general I think there is a line that can be crossed," he said.

"I think where people cross that line is when they are inciting a crime, encouraging people to be violent.

"I think most people have a sense of decency within them that would question the extremity of some of the comments we have seen."

Mr McClure stressed as the city's population had become more diverse over the past 10 years most communities felt more "cohesive".

"There were about 700 people on the site out of a population of a quarter of a million - let's get a sense of proportion about this," he said.