Contributors on the Feb. 23, 2025 rally in Central Park proudly waved Israeli flags and carried posters with the photographs, names, and ages of the hostages nonetheless in Hamas captivity.
Picture by Gabriele Holtermann
New York is main the nation in reported antisemitic incidents, as charges climb to a different record-breaking yr, a significant anti-bias group introduced on Tuesday.
In accordance with new information launched by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), reported instances of antisemitic assaults, acts of vandalism, harassment and different incidents in 2024 rose by 18% within the Empire State, reaching 1,437 in complete. The group additionally reviews the alarming statistic as the very best quantity ever recorded by ADL in New York and the very best recorded quantity throughout the nation final yr.
The report — dubbed the Audit of Antisemitic Incidents — confirmed that NYS noticed a disturbing improve from 2023’s report excessive of 1,218 reported antisemitic instances and 2022’s report excessive of 580, marking a 148% improve from simply two years in the past. New York not solely led the nation within the highest variety of recorded antisemitic incidents, but additionally had the very best variety of antisemitic vandalism (443 incidents) and assaults (82 assaults), and the second highest variety of harassment incidents (912, solely behind California with 1,000).
New York recorded probably the most incidents happening at faculties and universities (289), per the info; such establishments of upper studying have been hubs for protests towards the Israel-Hamas Battle in Gaza.
“ADL’s 2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents indicates that the shocking spike in antisemitic incidents after October 7, 2023, has become an unfortunate reality across the country and in New York,” mentioned Scott Richman, ADL New York/New Jersey regional director. “New York documented 1,437 antisemitic incidents last year, an 18% increase above the previous record set in 2023. This data confirms what Jewish communities around New York have experienced, and we must all work together to reverse this unacceptable trend.”
Professional-Palestinian demonstrators collect on the campus of Columbia College, on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 assault, amid the continuing Israel-Hamas battle, in New York Metropolis, U.S., October 7, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Zeroing in: NYC
In a lot of the incidents in NYS, 68%, occurred in NYC. And plenty of confrontations concerned Orthodox Jews or individuals who had been “visibly Jewish,” the report states.
Final yr, in keeping with the ADL, a Jewish baby within the Bronx was using a public bus when the bus operator threatened him with a slur.
“You best not be a f—–g Jew, are you? Get the f— off of my bus,” the driving force allegedly mentioned.
It’s unclear proper now if a police report was filed or if an investigation is ensuing.
A ‘staggering’ improve on New York school campuses
In accordance with the report, antisemitism continues to rise on school campuses within the metropolis, a development that went into excessive gear after the beginning of the Israel-Hamas Battle on Oct. 7, 2023, when terrorists brutally attacked Israelis and different overseas nationals.
The report uncovered a staggering 163% improve in antisemitic incidents on campuses in New York, up from 110 in 2023 to 289 in 2024. This included a rise in all the main classes: harassment (up 192%), vandalism (up 65%), and assault (elevated from 1 to 4).
ADL analysis famous that 23% (67) of the incidents reported on all New York State campuses occurred on Columbia’s and Barnard’s uptown campuses in 2024. Most of the instances concerned protests or gatherings that used antisemitic language, like calls to “eradicate Israel,” help of Hamas’s assault on Oct. 7, or requires the “erasure of Zionism.”
New York News contacted Columbia College for touch upon the statistics and is awaiting a response.
‘We will not be intimidated by bigots’
Whereas New York leads as probably the most antisemitic-riddled state, bias assaults towards Jewish persons are on the rise nationwide, in keeping with ADL information.
Each the nationwide and New York-focused reviews embrace felony and non-criminal acts of harassment, vandalism and assault towards people and teams as reported to ADL by victims, legislation enforcement, the media and accomplice organizations and evaluated by ADL’s consultants.
The nationwide report reveals that there have been 9,354 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment and vandalism throughout the nation in 2024, representing a 5% improve from 2023.
“This horrifying level of antisemitism should never be accepted and yet, as our data shows, it has become a persistent and grim reality for American Jewish communities,” mentioned Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “Jewish Americans continue to be harassed, assaulted and targeted for who they are on a daily basis and everywhere they go. But let’s be clear: we will remain proud of our Jewish culture, religion and identities, and we will not be intimidated by bigots.”
What does the longer term maintain?
Regionally, March supplied a pittance of a hope for combating hate crimes towards Jewish individuals. In accordance with the NYPD, there have been 39 incidents of antisemitic assaults final month—providing a 0% change that doesn’t fare higher or worse from March 2024, in keeping with the newest police information.
NYC faculties have additionally improved on initiatives towards antisemitism on their campuses.
Final yr, Metropolis College of New York (CUNY) colleges stepped up efforts to fight hate and bias on their campuses that surged in the course of the wake and after the beginning of the battle within the Center East.
The town college system launched its first Advisory Council on Jewish Life and a brand new middle devoted to centralizing efforts to deal with hate.
