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Upsurge in anti-Semitic crimes in America in 2017

According to data released by the FBI on Tuesday, 58 percent of all religion-based hate crimes in America were committed against Jews, with the number of crimes against Jews rising by more than a third.

Anti-Semitic vandalism on the locker (pictured here) of former New York Police Department officer David Attali included swastikas, the words “dirty Jew,” pictures of ham or bacon (which are prohibited under Jewish dietary laws), and newspaper clippings that read: “Hail Hitler.” Credit: Courtesy.
Anti-Semitic vandalism on the locker (pictured here) of former New York Police Department officer David Attali included swastikas, the words “dirty Jew,” pictures of ham or bacon (which are prohibited under Jewish dietary laws), and newspaper clippings that read: “Hail Hitler.” Credit: Courtesy.

The United States saw a significant upsurge in anti-Semitic crimes last year, and accounted for more than half of all religion-based hate crimes.

According to data released by the FBI on Tuesday, 58 percent of all religion-based hate crimes in America were committed against Jews, with the number of crimes against Jews rising by more than a third.

The numbers were second only to those that took place in 2001, following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

An overall increase in hate crimes was reported in 2017, with 7,175 hate crimes being committed—a rise of 17 percent. The number of crimes committed against Jews in 2017 was 938.

The number of hate crimes committed based on race was 58 percent, with 28 percent against African-Americans.

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