Racial, ethnic and religious hate crimes

According to a report published by the FBI in 2022, the number of hate crimes involving victims identified as Jews and LGBTQ+ people has increased dramatically in the USA. The most frequently committed crimes were racial and ethnic hate crimes (56%) and hate crimes based on religion and sexual orientation. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the 11,634 crimes reported in 2022 are “the highest number on record since the FBI began monitoring such data in 1991.” And over 1,100 anti-Semitic hate crimes committed last year is “the highest number recorded in almost three decades and the second highest on record.” Most hate crimes were committed against black people and African Americans.

According to experts, the following factors contribute to the increase in the number of hate crimes, including aggressive political rhetoric and social media. The ADL demands companies disclose their content moderation policies and provide data on how those rules are enforced. Experts say communities, political leaders, online influencers and social media platforms can prevent rising aggression.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which represents British Jews, recorded 320 anti-Semitic incidents between October 7 and 16 this year, a marked increase compared to 47 anti-Semitic incidents in the same period last year. CST links that phenomenon to Israel’s war with Hamas in the Middle East.