Antisemitic hate crimes in New York decrease in recent months — NYPD

NEW YORK — Antisemitic hate crimes in New York City have decreased in recent months compared to the same period last year, according to NYPD data released on Monday.

The NYPD reported 14 antisemitic crimes in July, compared to 27 during the same month last year.

Last month’s total was the lowest for any month since July 2023, when there were 11 antisemitic incidents reported to police.

In June, there were 31 anti-Jewish crimes, down from 42 the previous year, and in May, there were 24 antisemitic incidents, a decrease from 52 in May 2024.

In April, there was an increase from 29 antisemitic incidents in 2024 to 41 crimes this year.

Despite the decrease in recent months, Jews were still targeted far more than any other group. Last month, half of all hate crimes in the city were directed against Jews.

There were 345 antisemitic incidents reported to police in 2024, 54 percent of all hate crimes in the city.

Jewish security officials believe many antisemitic incidents are not reported to police.

Most major crimes, including hate crimes, have declined in recent months, the NYPD said.

The NYPD hate crimes figures are preliminary, and are subject to change if, for example, an incident that appeared to be antisemitic is investigated and police determine bias was not a factor. The bar for proving bias is high, making conviction for hate crimes difficult. A number of antisemitic cases are making their way through the court system.

Antisemitic incidents in New York surged after the October 2023 invasion of Israel. It was unclear if the downturn in recent months marked a reversal of that trend. The rate of antisemitic crimes typically fluctuates due to factors including developments in the Middle East, the weather, and the activities of anti-Israel protest groups.

Anti-Israel activists who have been tied to antisemitic attacks in the past announced a series of protests this week targeting the United Nations and Middle Eastern embassies including Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Within Our Lifetime, the most prominent anti-Israel protest group in New York, said the embassies are “Arab collaborators” who have “the power to lift the siege” on Gaza. The protests are being held ahead of the UN General Assembly next month.

There have been a series of antisemitic hate crimes during protests in the past two years, but such incidents are uncommon and most protest activity is covered by free speech protections. New York City officials have reported more than 4,000 protests since October 2023.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has made combating antisemitism a priority with the rollout of an antisemitism task force in his office. The Office to Combat Antisemitism held its inaugural meeting last month.

Antisemitism has played a major role in the city’s mayoral election campaign, with the leading candidates outlining plans to combat anti-Jewish discrimination.