New York state has seen a surge in hate crimes over the last five years with 1,089 reported instances in 2023, marking the highest number since data collection and annual reporting were mandated by New York’s Hates Crimes Act of 2000, according to a report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The number is 69% more than in 2019.
“New York is a diverse hub of cultures, beliefs and identities, whose strength has always been in the creation of community bonds that unite us,” DiNapoli said. “Fighting hatred and bigotry demands that we communicate with, respect and accept our neighbors. It requires our spiritual, political, community and business leaders to take active roles in denouncing hate, investing in prevention and protection efforts, and increasing education that celebrates the value of New York’s diversity.”
A hate crime is an offense that is motivated by a perception or belief about the victim’s race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or another protected characteristic. Hate crimes can be committed against a person or property.
Except for 2020, which may reflect artificially low reporting due to COVID, there has been a steady rise in hate crimes over the past five years, with the number of reported incidents more than doubling between 2018 and 2023. Moreover, the available data may not capture all relevant crimes, as underreporting may occur for several reasons. Victims may be hesitant to report incidents due to reasons that include language barriers, fear of retaliation, mistrust in law enforcement or lack of confidence that justice will be served.
A decade ago, New York City and the rest of the state reported roughly equal shares of hate crime incidents. However, between 2013 and 2019, reported hate crime incidents in New York City increased by one-third, but declined by 25.8% in the rest of the state. Between 2019 and 2023, these incidents grew in New York City (59.3%) and more rapidly in the rest of the state (87.5%). In 2023, the New York City Police Department reported 669 hate crimes, an increase of 12.6% from 2022. In the rest of the state, the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) reported 420 incidents in 2023, a 12.9% increase from the year before.
DiNapoli’s report also found:
- The most common bias motivation reported in New York state in 2023 was for religion, with 543 incidents or nearly half. Race, ethnicity and national origin constitutes approximately one-third, and sexual orientation/gender identity (LGBTQ+) almost 17%.
- In 2023, 44% of all recorded hate crime incidents and 88% of religious-based hate crimes targeted Jewish victims, the largest share of all such crimes.
- Hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim New Yorkers rose by 89% (253 to 477) and 106% (18 to 37), respectively, between 2018 and 2023.
- The share of racially motivated incidents in the state is now greater than it was five years ago. Nearly 17% of all recorded hate crime incidents and 52% of racially motivated hate crimes were anti-Black.
- 71% of hate crimes based on an anti-LGBTQ+ bias targeted gay male victims, almost 12% of all incidents. Over the past five years, anti-gay male incidents have risen by 141% (54 to 130) and hate crimes against transgender New Yorkers have risen by 140% (10 to 24).
- During the pandemic, anti-Asian hate crimes spiked from five reported incidents in 2019 to 140 in 2021. In the last two years, the number of anti-Asian incidents has dropped by half, but remains 11 times the number of incidents reported in 2019.
Types of Hate Crime Offenses
Hate crimes targeting individuals and property both rose since 2018, but hate crimes involving assaults on people grew faster and were more common than property crimes starting in 2021. In 2018, crimes against persons were 41% of all hate crimes; in 2022 they rose to 52%. In that year, nearly half of all hate crime reports carried an assault charge compared to 39% in 2018.
2023 data for areas outside of New York City detailing types of hate crime offenses has not yet been published by DCJS. Available data for New York City shows 58% of all New York City hate crime incidents in 2023 were committed against a person; of these, 32% were egregious enough to be felonies, including 72 felony assaults, 47% of which were committed on an anti-Jewish or anti-gay male bias. Incidents against Jewish New Yorkers accounted for 65% of all felony hate crime incidents (people and property) in New York City in 2023.
The most common offense in New York City in 2023 was aggravated harassment in the first degree. There were 145 incidents of this type in New York City, and all but 14 of them were committed with an anti-Jewish bias. The two other most common offenses were misdemeanor assault crimes against persons, which were predominantly motivated by anti-gay male, anti-Jewish, anti-Asian, and anti-Black biases.
DiNapoli’s report noted several initiatives that have been undertaken at the state and federal level to address the increase in hate crimes, and identified key policy areas, including education, mental health services, and online safety, where action could be taken to help prevent hate crimes.
“Absolutely no one deserves to be targeted for their race, religion, or who they love,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Queens). “Between the rise in anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic, antisemitism and islamophobia in the aftermath of October 7th, attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, and racially motivated violence, the rise in hate crimes in towns and cities across our state is alarming. In my community of Queens and across New York, diversity has always been a source of strength, comfort, and unity. We must continue to confront hate and bigotry in all its forms so our friends and neighbors can live without the fear of unthinkable violence.”
“We commend State Comptroller DiNapoli for this vital report and for his unwavering commitment to justice across our great state,” said Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, President, NAACP New York State Conference. “The NAACP New York State Conference of Branches stands united with State Comptroller DiNapoli and other stakeholders in condemning racism, discrimination, antisemitism, and homophobia in all its forms. New Yorkers will not stand by or accept these heinous acts. We remain steadfast in our collaboration with elected officials and community organizations to eradicate hate based on race, creed, color, religion, or sexual orientation. This report provides us with the critical data and insights needed to advance our mission effectively.”
“It's abundantly clear that hate crimes targeting Black, Jewish, Muslim, AAPI, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities have been on the rise in recent years,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of NAN. “Vitriolic rhetoric from the ideological fringes, amplified by both anonymous and public figures —be it online and on the campaign trail—are fueling this dangerous trend. We need a national reminder that this rhetoric has real consequences because behind these alarming statistics are real people—our neighbors and fellow New Yorkers. We cannot allow hate to define our city, state or nation.”
“We are deeply grateful to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for producing this critical report. It is more than timely; it's a crucial reminder that each hate crime statistic represents a New Yorker who is suffering. This isn't merely about data—it's about upholding our state and city's core values of compassion and inclusion. This report challenges every New Yorker, from our government offices, religious institutions, private industries, to our schools, to actively build strategies to combat all forms of hatred.” Mark Treyger, CEO, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
"When reported hate crimes increase, we at the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) know that there are even more incidents that are not being reported to law enforcement. AVP supports LGBTQ survivors of violence to heal and thrive after violence, and through our hotline and crisis services we document hate violence—which is most likely to impact people who are multiply marginalized," said Audacia Ray, Interim Co-Deputy Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project.