Anti-Jewish hate crimes increased by 20.5% in Massachusetts in 2024
The state said that recorded Jew-hatred crimes in the state passed anti-black incidents for the first time since tracking began in 1991.
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For the first time in nearly 35 years, there were more recorded anti-Jewish than anti-black hate crimes in Massachusetts in 2024, the commonwealth stated on Wednesday.
Overall, hate crimes were down last year, but there was what the commonwealth called a “troubling” 20.5% increase in antisemitic hate crimes in 2024. The commonwealth said that this was the first time since 1991, when it began tracking hate crimes, that reported instances of Jew-hatred outpaced racist incidents.
Of the 456 hate crime incidents in the state in 2024, 153 (35%) reflected religious bias, according to the state. Of the religious bias incidents, 130 (85%) were antisemitism, according to the state’s data. There were also 10 incidents (6.5%) of anti-Muslim bias, in which four known offenders had committed against nine people. Per the state data, 33 known offenders committed anti-Jewish hate crimes against 97 victims.
Per state data, there were 107 incidents of anti-black hate, or about 31% fewer than antisemitic hate crimes. The state recorded 70 hate crime incidents based on sexual orientation.
The Massachusetts government stated that the 4.4% to 6.5% drop in reported hate crimes in 2024 compared to 2023 was “supported by targeted investments in youth programs, community-based prevention strategies and robust partnerships between law enforcement agencies and local organizations.”
The state invested “more than $45 million in targeted public safety initiatives that have contributed to a measurable decline in crime in communities statewide,” it added.
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It wasn’t clear why those things wouldn’t also lower anti-Jewish hate crimes.
“This new data is encouraging and reflects the important work that law enforcement and community partners do day in and day out to keep the people of Massachusetts safe,” stated Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat.
“We know there is always more work to be done, and we remain committed to bringing people together to continue to enhance public safety in communities across the state,” she said.
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“This horrific act is part of a broader and deeply troubling rise in antisemitic violence across the United States,” the Jewish Federations of North America stated. “It is no longer possible to separate online hate, city hall rhetoric and campus incitement from real-world consequences. Our communities are being targeted—for being Jewish, for speaking out, for simply showing up.”
“We are devastated by the loss of this beloved member of the Boulder community,” stated Susan Rona, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League. “Her death highlights the danger of antisemitic rhetoric becoming normalized in our country, resulting in increasing levels of violence aimed at the Jewish community.”
The Boulder District Attorney’s Office stated that 29 people were victims of the attack, including 13 who suffered physical injuries. At least one victim remains hospitalized.
© JNS
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