Hate Crimes Targeting Jews Soar 91% from the Previous Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Laura Fennell
Director of Communications, ADL West
[email protected]

Los Angeles, CA. December 11, 2024 … The 2023 Hate Crime Report released by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations today shows that the total number of reported hate crimes increased by 45% percent from the previous year, jumping from 930 to 1,350 reported crimes marking the largest number of hate crimes in the history of this report.

While Jews make up only 2% of the U.S. population, they continue to be the most-targeted group of religious-based hate crimes. Crimes against Jews in Los Angeles County nearly doubled (91% increase from 127 to 242 crimes) from the previous year, marking the largest number of antisemitic hate crimes ever recorded in this report. This data aligns with ADL’s own figures in its 2023 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. Further, antisemitic hate crimes made up 83% of all religious-motivated hate crimes in 2023.

“We are witnessing a widescale normalization of antisemitism in our county and our nation,” ADL Los Angeles Regional Director Jeffrey I. Abrams says. “Among the most disturbing findings is that the greatest number of reported crimes occurred in ‘public spaces,’ where in 2022 it was the fourth most common location of antisemitic hate crimes. Jewish Angelenos have been afraid to simply walk our streets where they hear hateful, vile things screamed at them from passing cars. The fear is understandable given in 2023 we saw an attempted murder of two orthodox men leaving prayer services on consecutive mornings in the Pico Robertson area.”

ADL anticipates the upward trend of hate incidents and hate crimes to continue – particularly against Jews. In the year following the Hamas massacre, from Oct. 7 to present day, ADL documented 10,000 antisemitic incidents across the United States – a 200% increase from the previous year. The report also shows that crimes with specific language regarding conflict in the Middle East sharply increased from 2 to 64 and accounted for 5% of all hate crimes.

“Jews in Los Angeles are being wrongfully blamed and targeted for the actions of a terrorist group and the response by the Israeli government,” adds Abrams. “This normalized and collective hate must end.”

Unfortunately, no group was safe from the rise in hate crimes. There were more reported anti-black hate crimes than ever before, and anti-Latino/a crimes rose 19%. 2023 saw the highest number of anti-trans crimes of any other year – 97% of which were unfortunately violent in nature. Meanwhile, Anti-LGBTQ+ crimes rose 48% (from 173 to 256).

In addition to responding to hate crimes and providing victim assistance after a crime has occurred, ADL works daily to prevent the spread of hate that can lead to such crimes. ADL’s anti-bias education programs from primary school through college help students: recognize bias and the harm it inflicts on individuals and society; explore the value of diversity; improve intergroup relations; and combat racism, antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and bigotry.

As a trusted resource, ADL continues to be one of the few organizations outside law enforcement to contribute data to the LA County Hate Crime Report and is also a proud community partner of LA County’s LA vs Hate initiative, working with other community-based organizations to push back against hate.

“The best way to combat hate is to stand together as one community against racism and bigotry of all kinds,” Jeffrey says. “We are grateful to continue to have LA County and LA vs. Hate as fantastic partners in our work to reduce hate crimes and increase public awareness of the impact these kinds of crimes have on our communities. The LA County Hate Crime Report is a consistent reminder that the important work of ADL is needed now more than ever.”