Police in 'Muslim' ribbon gesture

Steve Green's said it was important to show support

Police in Nottinghamshire are being given green ribbons to show solidarity with the Muslim community after a rise in racist attacks.

The "Good Faith" ribbon is being backed by chief constable Steve Green.

Racially motivated attacks in the county have doubled since the attacks on the 7 July, according to figures from Victim Support.

Twenty thousand of the ribbons have been made to symbolise belief in Muslims as a people of peace.

Many people feel fully supportive of the Muslim communities but have no way of showing it Chief constable Steve Green

Mr Green said: "We have a huge number of Muslim citizens in Nottinghamshire who are just going around trying to do their everyday business.

"But they feel intimidated and sometimes ostracised by racist incidents and by the perception that the white community suspects everybody with a brown face of being a suicide bomber.

"Many people feel fully supportive of the Muslim communities but have no way of showing it and this is a way of allowing them to do that."

He added: "Officers will not be compelled to wear these but I have written to my force urging them to take part."

Official review

But Mansfield MP Alan Meale branded the ribbons "unnecessary".

He added: "I know a lot of officers in the Notts force and they're already extremely sympathetic to the feelings of the ethnic minorities."

Issan Ghazni, of the Nottingham Muslim Action Group, welcomed the move: "It will help particularly in areas such as Hyson Green, Forest Fields and Sneinton.

"People need to know that if they are coming under any sort of racial attack the police will protect them," he said.

The ribbon campaign is also open to the public and they will be available from police stations, council buildings and some shops.

Mr Green's force has been under review by the Home Office after he told a newspaper he may have to "farm out" murder inquiries because of the workload on his officers.