New York State Sets Up New Hotline To Report Hate Crimes

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- With an increase in bias incidents recently, New York state has set up a hotline to report the cases.

As WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported, Gov. Andrew Cuomo set up the hotline – and he has had enough.

"There's no place for racism. There's no place for hate," Cuomo said.

Cuomo said the issue is serious business.

"We have a very strict hate crimes law that we take seriously, and I want the people of this state to know we're going to enforce it," Cuomo said.

Following the presidential election last week, Cuomo wrote an open letter promising to "fight against the targeting of Muslims, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and for the rights of all Americans."

"As New Yorkers, we have fundamentally different philosophies than what Donald Trump laid out in his campaign, Cuomo wrote on his Facebook page.

"So let me be absolutely clear: If anyone feels that they are under attack, I want them to know that the state of New York – the state that has the Statue of Liberty in its harbor – is their refuge."

The letter was first published in the New York Daily News, and later released as a statement by the Cuomo Administration.

The number for the hotline is (888) 392-3644.