A SENIOR PSNI officer has said dealing with hate incidents is a "community matter".
Superintendent Robert Singleton said the PSNI welcomes the opportunity to speak to anyone who has information on hate incidents.
But he said dialogue is needed between "communities and their representatives" to tackle the issue.
It comes after the PSNI last year said the UVF had been involved in orchestrating numerous racist attacks in south and east Belfast.
"We take hate crime very seriously and actively investigate all incidents reported to us," Mr Singleton said.
"Hate crime is wrong on all levels and the PSNI will do everything it can to ensure that everyone, from whatever background, can live free from prejudice, fear and discrimination.
"We would welcome the opportunity to speak to anyone who has information regarding hate incidents. However, this is very much a community matter.
"It is about respect for each other and needs to have dialogue between the communities and their representatives in an effort to resolve this and to prevent it happening in the future."
Mr Singleton said officers used several methods of inquiry to investigate the protest outside a Nigerian man's home in east Belfast on June 17 last year.
"They have pursued a number of lines of investigation, including a review of any available CCTV, door to door enquiries and forensic submissions," he said.
"Throughout this process the victim has been fully updated at each stage and has acknowledged the efforts that have been made to identify offenders and bring them before the courts."
He said that currently "all lines of enquiry have been exhausted" and appealed for anyone with information to contact detectives on the non-emergency number 101.
