The number of reported religious hate crimes in England and Wales has reached a new high, rising from 8,370 to 10,484 in the year ending March 2024. This represents a 25 percent increase and the highest annual figure since records began in 2012.
The rise in religiously motivated offenses is particularly concerning, even as overall hate crimes decreased by 5 percent, totaling 140,561 incidents. While incidents based on race, sexual orientation, disability, and targeting transgender individuals also saw declines, the surge in hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim communities stands out.
Hate crimes against Jewish individuals more than doubled, rising to 3,282, which accounts for 33 percent of all religious hate crimes. This is a significant increase from 20 percent in the previous year. Hate crimes targeting Muslims increased by 13 percent, reaching 3,866 incidents, representing 38 percent of the total.
According to the Community Security Trust, there were 1,978 reported anti-Jewish incidents in the first half of 2024, up from 964 during the same period last year. Greater London reported the highest concentration of incidents, particularly in Barnet, with Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire following.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the rising antisemitic and Islamophobic crimes, stating, “These figures are a stain on our society, and this government will work tirelessly to tackle this toxic hatred wherever it is found. We must not allow events unfolding in the Middle East to play out in increased hatred and tension here on our streets, and those who push this poison – offline or online – must face the full force of the law.”
