NEWTON, Mass. — Antisemitic hate crimes reached an eight-year in Massachusetts in 2023, according to data published in a new state report.
In a report published by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, state officials highlighted analyzed numbers from local police departments and college campuses, highlighting a 70% increase in antisemitic hate crimes from 2022 to 2023 alone.
There were more hate crimes reported in 2023 than in the previous eight years, marking the third straight year where Jewish people and organizations were targeted more than the year prior. Specifically, there were 119 reports of anti-Jewish crimes reported in 2023, compared to 70 in 2022.
While physical instances of violence were rare, the majority of attacks were vandalism or intimidation, the data showed.
The percentage of all hate crimes specific to being anti-Jewish has also continued to grow over the last four years:
- 2023: 18.8%
- 2022: 14.5%
- 2021: 14.1%
- 2020: 12.3%
According to the Anti-Defamation League of New England, there is a direct link between rises in hate crimes against Jewish people and the start of the Israel-Hamas war that started in October 2023.
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