25 "hate crime" arrests by police since London Bridge attack

Armed police officers patrol near London Bridge after the terror attack took place on Saturday night in London, Britain on June 4, 2017. (Xinhua/UK OUT)

LONDON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- London's Metropolitan Police (Met) said Wednesday night that 25 people had been arrested in the capital for "hate crimes" since Saturday's terror attack on London Bridge.

"The Metropolitan Police has made 25 arrests for hate crime offences since Saturday," said Police Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer, head of community engagement at the Met.

Stringer said the Met has increased the number of specialist investigators across London's boroughs by 30 percent, with more than 900 members of the staff now dedicated to investigating hate crime and domestic abuse crimes.

"We have increased the number of officers on the streets and in communities to reassure local people that they are able to go about their daily lives in peace and without fear of harassment or intimidation," said the police officer.

He said dedicated police officers have also contacted places of worship in London to encourage people to report hate crimes and to reassure those who congregate there that the police will take hate crimes seriously.

The figures came as the death toll in the weekend attack rose to eight after the body of French tourist Xavier Thomas, 45, who had not been seen since the attack, was recovered from the River Thames Tuesday night.

Thomas is thought to have been thrown into the river as the hire vehicle driven by the terrorists ploughed into pedestrians with high speed.

Thomas was walking across London Bridge with his girlfriend Christine Delcros who was also hit by the vehicle. Delcros was badly injured in the attack and is now recovering in hospital after undergoing a two-hour operation to reset her shattered pelvis.