A 24-hour helpline for people who experience race hate has been launched in Croydon amid the ongoing Black Lives Matter protest movement.

Croydon Council partnered with the Stop Hate UK NGO to set up the helpline, which is designed run all day, every day for anyone who needs it.

Announcing details about the new helpline on August 6, Councillor Hamida Ali, cabinet member for safer Croydon and communities, lauded the scheme.

"We know that too many people tolerate hate crime as a reality of life and don’t always report their experiences," she said.

"We really welcome the availability of the Stop Hate UK Helpline for Croydon residents and encourage anyone experiencing any form of abuse because of who they are to come forward and seek support.

"There is no place for hate crime in Croydon and tackling all forms of hate crime is a priority in our Community Safety Strategy."

The permanent helpline is designed to give victims and witnesses in Croydon a safe and confidential space to talk about their experiences with trained staff and volunteers able to provide a non-judgemental listening ear.

Advisors on the other end of the line will also give out advice and suggest appropriate actions that can be taken against hate crime, the council said, while callers can also ask for anonymity.

Hate crime instances in the UK have been consistently rising year on year since at least 2012 according to official government data.

Recorded police crime figures show reported cases of hate crime rising year on year from the 2012/13 total of 42,255 to hit a total of 103,379 by 2018/19.

Protests against institutional racism and police violence erupted in the US and around the world in recent months after the killing of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota.

On Monday, Labour MP Dawn Butler slammed London's Metropolitan Police as "institutionally racist" and accused them of racial profiling after she was mistakenly stopped in a car while driving in East London recently.

The Stop Hate Helpline is available on 0800 138 1625.

The helpline is also available by text message on 07717 989 025 and by email to talk@stophateuk.org.

Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users can report using the Interpreter Now app by following the link on www.stophateuk.org. Victims and witnesses can also chat on the web or fill in an online form by visiting www.stophateuk.org/talk.