Sadiq Khan said today there was a clear link between a surge in hate crime and the vote for Brexit.
The mayor said the EU referendum result had left racists feeling they had “permission” to behave in bigoted ways.
He was speaking at the London Assembly after Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe confirmed there had been a 50 per cent rise in hate crime complaints and a 75 per cent increase in arrests over the past few weeks.
Mr Khan said he had been through figures for the capital since January 2014 which showed the five peak days for London hate crimes had occurred since the EU vote.
He said: “You can’t escape the conclusion of the cause and the effect.
“My analysis is that there seems to be an impression that those involved in this sort of behaviour have permission to behave this way,” Mr Khan added.
He urged victims: “You’ve got to report it. The police want to hear from you. This police service that polices our city now is different to those in the past.
“From the top to the bottom they care about this.”
