Transport for London has taken a very modern approach to tackling hate crime on its network this week.

The public transport body will host virtual reality demonstrations at eight Underground and Overground stations to show participants what it is like to witness these kinds of incidents.

The sessions – at Stratford, Liverpool Street, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Victoria, Euston, Golders Green, Stamford Hill and Finsbury Park – will put passengers in a bystander’s shoes and show them how they can respond safely.

The sessions have been planned to coincide with National Hate Crime Awareness Week, which began on October 10 and runs until October 17.

Two of the drop-in sessions – in Stratford and Liverpool Street – have already taken place, but there’s still plenty of time to take part in the remaining sessions.

Timings can be found below:

• Monday, October 12: Stratford, 10am – 12pm; Liverpool Street, 1.30pm – 3.30pm

• Tuesday, October 13: Harrow-on-the-Hill, 12pm – 3pm

• Wednesday, October 14: Victoria, 10am – 12pm; Euston, 1.30pm – 3.30pm

• Thursday, October 15: Golders Green, 12pm – 3pm

• Friday, October 16: Stamford Hill, 10am – 12pm; Finsbury Park, 1.30pm – 3.30pm

The demonstrations come after a 36% increase in hate crime was reported on London’s transport network in a year.

Some 2,396 hate crimes were reported on the network between January and August 2026. TfL said this was due to a number of factors, including improved reporting of offences and international events.

Six free active bystander training sessions will also be available online, led by the charity Protection Approaches. These can be booked via Eventbrite.

TfL’s director of security policing and enforcement, Siwan Hayward, said: ‘We want to reassure all Londoners that we take everybody’s safety and security seriously. We will not stand for hate crime of any form on our network, whether it’s against our customers or staff.

‘The station awareness events and free active bystander online training sessions are valuable opportunities for providing practical advice to our customers, so that even more customers feel confident and comfortable to intervene in the event of a hate crime.’

Kaya Comer-Schwartz, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: ‘Everyone should feel safe and be safe when travelling in London.

‘Hate crime and harassment have no place on our transport network, or anywhere in our city, and we are determined to tackle and prevent these awful crimes.’

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