For the eighth consecutive year, hate crimes in Los Angeles County increased and to know the true magnitude of the problem, authorities encourage all communities to report any incident, whether criminal in nature or not.
In 2022, 920 hate crimes were reported, 18% more than the 790 registered a year before. It is the highest number ever reported in history since 1980, when the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission began making its annual reports.
Since 2013, the average annual hate crime rate has been 142%, the report indicates.
“It is important to report, arrest and punish,” George Gascón, district attorney of Los Angeles County, told La Opinión. “Lately we have seen an increase [en los delitos de odio] due to the war in Israel and Palestine, but we do not have the data on the immigrant community because they do not report the incidents, because they are always thinking that if they do they will be deported. And that is not true”.
County Sheriff Robert Luna announced that hate crimes increased by 29% in 2022; those of hate based on sexual orientation have increased by 24%. And anti-Semitic hate crimes have increased by 40%: 132 cases against 94 last year.
Worrying statistics
However, starting on October 7, when the Hamas group’s terrorist attacks against Israel were perpetrated, the level of anti-Semitic crimes increased 267% by the end of November of this year.
On the other hand, in that same period, hate crimes against Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims in Los Angeles County rose to 633%.
“We talk about statistics, but these are not simply numbers. Each of those numbers has an attachment to a victim, someone who is the victim of a hate crime or a hate incident. He or she has families attached to him or her,” Luna said. “When those things happen to members of our community, there is a deep sense of community insecurity.”
Curiously, Sheriff Robert Luna, Supervisor Hilda Solis, and LAPD Deputy Chief Blake Chaw left the event and did not allow questions from the press.
After highlighting his concern about the “extremely high” number of hate crimes in 2022, the president of the county Human Relations Commission, Ilan Davidson, and his concern about hate crimes directed against African American Jewish communities.
“The numbers are shocking,” Davidson told La Opinión. “But. At the same time I’m going to say it’s not that surprising.”
He recalled that, in the early years of each report, he often met with county supervisors and responded only, “I’m so sorry. That’s how it is”.
It was later realized that something more needed to be done, and through LA versus Hate there have been reports on hate crimes, and more people are feeling comfortable reporting such incidents.
“That’s one of the main reasons our numbers have increased in recent years; “We are getting more and better reports from people who normally would not report because of fear of the law, of law enforcement, or their fear of retaliation,” the official said.
Davidson specified that the public has now found a comfort zone in 211 and LA vs. Hate, where they know that they can be safe and that they can report the incidents that they are experiencing, receive services and help, in their difficult moments as victims to be able to process what they are going through.
African Americans are the majority of victims
Some of the report’s other findings include data showing that African Americans are the most frequent targets of reported hate crimes in Los Angeles County, even though they only make up 9% of the population.
African Americans accounted for 53% of all victims of racial hatred.
In 2022, Latinos were the second most attacked ethnic group, with a 3% increase in cases. Last year was the seventh year in a row that Latinos experienced the highest level of violence: 93%, among any ethnic or racial group.
The damage caused by Donald Trump
Anti-Asian hate crimes reached the second-highest total in history, especially after former President Donald Trump referred to the Covid-19 pandemic as the “Chinese virus.”
The transgender community experienced 44 hate crimes, the highest number recorded since 1980, and 99% of incidents against them were violent, a rate much higher than racial, religious or sexual orientation crimes.
“We have to understand that there is a very well organized and funded community that is perpetrating this hatred against our communities,” stated Bamby Salcedo, president of the Translatina Coalition. “It is a well-organized and well-funded effort that is underway.”
He told Supervisor Solís and law enforcement authorities that, to combat hate, they need resources to defend themselves, do the job “and eradicate those who hate people.”
He added that not only the public sector, but also the private sector is financing hate groups.
“Some of these people are being appointed to government positions, and from there they are perpetrating attacks on the community,” he said.
For his part, Robin Toma, executive director of the county’s Human Relations Commission, considered that the information released about the state of hate “is very valuable if we act.”
“There are so many negative statistics, and they are useless if they do not provoke action and counteract this increase in hatred,” he told La Opinión.
Toma described that, currently, there are moments of confrontations and tension in the streets.
“We must not lose sight of the fact that we are facing the movement of a sector [de la sociedad estadounidense] who feel free to speak with racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and pretend that they speak for the majority of the American people. And it is not.”
“This elevator is not for you.”
Supervisor Hilda Solís recalled how disturbing it was to learn that Latino victims of hate incidents also receive hurtful, racist and anti-Mexican insults, such as those uttered at Los Angeles City Hall.
“It’s no secret that many of us have faced this throughout our careers and our lives. I know how it feels,” she said.
In fact, he said that many decades ago he witnessed the attack on his parents because they did not know how to speak English.
“I’ll never forget a woman in a store telling my mother, ‘How long have you been here?’ How come you can’t learn English? “What’s wrong with you?” she said. “I was, I think, about seven years old. I never forgot it.”
Solís stated that sticks and stones can break a person, but words do more damage.
“They hurt. Words can be very hateful and unfortunately we have to learn to deal with that,” she said. “The pain, shame and traumatic experience that many of us have even had to face throughout our lives.”
She heard those words precisely, in a Sacramento elevator, and even in Congress, when she was Secretary of the Treasury.
“This elevator is not for you,” were the humiliating words that she had to hear at some point in her life, said the supervisor.
This publication is supported by funds provided by the State of California, administered by the State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop Hate. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, visit https://www.cavshate.org/.