FBI Denver launches ‘Report Hate Crimes’ advertisement campaign

DENVER (KRDO) -- The FBI Denver Division just launched its 'Report Hate Crimes' advertisement campaign on billboards, trains, and buses. This campaign is to spread awareness to the community and help get people to report on these type of crimes.

In the FBI Denver press release, University of Wyoming student, Matthew Shepard was tortured, beaten, and left dead in Laramie, Wyoming back in October 1998. Since, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 was passed.

"The FBI will not tolerate attacks against members of our community because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or disability,” said FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “The Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 is an invaluable tool for law enforcement to hold accountable those who commit such crimes.”

On Monday, Oct. 25, the FBI released a Uniform Crime Reporting Program released a summary of the amended hate crime statistics for 2020. These reports targeted race, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity.

If you believe you are a victim or a witness to a hate crime, the FBI says to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov.