Antisemitic hate crimes in NYC have surged this year, according to police data

Hate crimes targeting Jews in New York City have surged this year, according to NYPD data released on Tuesday.

From the beginning of 2024 through Sept. 30, Jews were targeted in at least 275 hate crimes, compared to 158 incidents during the same period last year. This year’s sum is an increase of 117 incidents, or 74%.

Jews have been targeted in 55% of all hate incidents in the city so far this year, an increase of 14% over last year, the data said. 

The data report published on Tuesday indicates that the spike in antisemitism that was documented in New York City following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 invasion of Israel has continued at varying levels through the rest of the 12 months since the attack. That spike in antisemitic attacks also fueled an overall 30% rise in hate crimes against all groups in the city this year, an NYPD statement said. The statement added that the increase was “not unrelated to the fury and vitriol” present at thousands of protests in the city, many of them surrounding the Israel-Hamas war. 

The NYPD reported that in September, there were 29 anti-Jewish hate crimes, more than half of all hate incidents in the city and an 81% increase over the same period last year, which saw 16 antisemitic incidents.

The figures represent preliminary police data and are subject to change if, for example, an investigation finds that an altercation that had appeared discriminatory was not actually motivated by bigotry. Not every reported hate crime results in an arrest or prosecution. The legal standard for proving bias is high, making prosecution difficult.

The NYPD statement said the city has seen a record number of demonstrations in the past year — more than 4,100 marches, protests and other activities since Oct. 7. The figure did not differentiate between protests surrounding Israel and Gaza, and unrelated demonstrations.

Mayor Eric Adams

Mayor Eric Adams and police officials vowed to protect the Jewish community at a security briefing last week focused on the High Holiday period and the anniversary of Oct. 7, which fell on Monday. Police stepped up security measures at sensitive sites around the city. 

Adams acknowledged the defended the right to peacefully demonstrate, but said that there would be zero tolerance for any lawbreaking.

“Your city will protect you no matter what is going on on the globe,” Adams said. “As families come together and neighbors prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our city’s going to make sure they can do so safely and I urge New Yorkers to celebrate and congregate free of fear.”

Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters marched through Manhattan on Monday to mark the anniversary of Oct. 7. The NYPD told the New York Jewish Week that five individuals were arrested at a protest outside the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. Charges included attempted assault, menacing, resisting arrest and making graffiti. There were also pro-Israel gatherings, including a 5,000-person rally in Central Park. 

At the briefing last week, police officials said there had been 22 major crimes committed against the Jewish community, and 157 cases of aggravated harassment, including incidents such as someone shoving a Jewish person on the street, spitting on them, or writing a hateful email.

Several post-Oct. 7 incidents are being pursued by prosecutors, including one in which a suspect allegedly punched a Jewish Israeli near Times Square while shouting antisemitic epithets in mid-October of last year. In another incident, in April, a man was charged with a slew of hate crimes after aiming his moving car at Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Friday that authorities were monitoring bomb threats sent to synagogues around the state, but that there were no credible threats. 

Anti-Israel crimes have also targeted non-Jews. On Monday, the uptown Manhattan district office of New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat was splattered with red paint, similar to other anti-Israel incidents of vandalism. The same office was hit with anti-Israel graffiti less than two weeks ago.

Security footage shared with the New York Jewish Week showed two masked individuals spraying paint on the office and using a hammer to smash its windows, which features images of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The New York Democratic Congressional Delegation condemned the vandalism, saying it came on a day of “solemn reflection” over the Oct. 7 attacks.

On Monday, Espaillat shared a message of solidarity with families of those held hostage by Hamas, and attended the memorial ceremony in Central Park. On Sunday, Espaillat also stopped by a neighborhood commemoration event blocks away from his district office.