FBI data shows that between January 2023 and December 2023, hate crimes against Jewish people significantly outnumbered those targeting Muslims. 

The report shows a staggering 1,951 anti-Jewish hate crimes compared to 266 anti-Muslim or anti-Islamic hate crimes.

The rise in anti-Semitic incidents follows Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, according to the American Jewish Coalition. Many Jewish Americans have since reported being targeted for their religion, and anti-Jewish protests have erupted on college campuses across the United States.

In the aftermath of the October 7 attack, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre initially stated that there were “no credible threats” of anti-Semitism when asked about concerns regarding an increase in hate crimes. However, she then shifted focus, noting that “Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks.” Jean-Pierre later clarified that she had misheard the question and reiterated the White House’s strong stance against anti-Semitism. The White House has yet to respond to further inquiries regarding these statements.

Breaking down the FBI’s data, anti-Jewish hate crimes predominantly involved destruction, damage, or vandalism of property (51%), intimidation (34%), and simple assault (6%). Most of these incidents (61%) targeted individuals, while the rest affected businesses (16%), government entities (12%), religious organizations (4%), and other institutions (6%). The race of the offenders remains unknown in 50% of the cases, though 36% are identified as white, and 9% as black or African American.

For anti-Muslim hate crimes, the data reveals that intimidation accounted for 48% of the incidents, followed by simple assault (20%), destruction of property (18%), and aggravated assault (8%). Of the offenders, 54% were white, 19% were black or African American, and 19% were of unknown race. These hate crimes primarily targeted individuals (90%).

When compared to the previous year, from January 2022 to December 2022, the FBI recorded 1,257 anti-Jewish hate crimes and 176 anti-Muslim hate crimes, marking a concerning increase.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, commented that the rise in anti-Semitic incidents is “unfortunately entirely consistent” with what his organization has been tracking. He highlighted the continued suffering of the Jewish community following Hamas’s attack on Israel, which led to a sharp spike in anti-Semitic acts.

 

Ted Deutch of the American Jewish Committee described the escalation in anti-Semitic violence as “earth-shattering,” further emphasizing that young Jews are increasingly bearing the brunt of this hate. “It’s unacceptable that in America of all places, there are nearly five antisemitic hate crimes on average per day,” he said.