California report: Hate crimes still increasing despite drop in anti-Asian hate crimes

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For the second straight year, hate crimes against Asians went down in California, but bigots and racists have found new targets to express their hate.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta Tuesday released the 2023 Hate Crime in California Report, and highlighted information and resources to support ongoing efforts across the state to combat hate. 

Overall, reported hate crime events in California decreased by 7.1% from 2,120 in 2022 to 1,970 in 2023. Anti-Asian bias events decreased 10.71% from 140 in 2022 to 125 in 2023. Racists and bigots have simply shifted their hatred towards different groups.

“While it is heartening to see an overall decrease in hate crimes in 2023, some of our communities, including our LGBTQ+, Jewish and Muslim communities, continue to be targeted and endangered by hate at alarming rates. An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us — there is no place for hate in California,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta, the first Filipino American to hold that post.

        FYI: The 2023 Hate Crime in California Report can be found here.

The shift towards Jewish and Muslims is mainly due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

To combat hate crime offenses and events, Attorney General Bonta urges local partners and law enforcement to review the resources highlighted today and to recommit themselves to taking action.

“Everyone has a part to play as we continue to fight prejudice and create safer communities in California. I urge everyone to review the data and resources available and recommit to standing united against hate," said Bpnta.

The California Department of Justice has collected statewide data on hate crimes since 1995. Under California law, a hate crime is a criminal act committed in whole or in part because of a victim’s actual or perceived disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or association with someone with one or more of these characteristics.

If you believe you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate crime, notify local law enforcement and consider taking the following steps:

• If you are in immediate danger, call 911 and if needed, seek medical attention.
• Write down the exact words that were used and take note of any other relevant facts.
• If safe to do so, save all evidence and take photos.
• Get contact information for other victims and witnesses.
• Reach out to community organizations in your area that deal with hate crimes or incidents.

Members of the Asian American communities say the data released by Bonta may give the misimpression that anti-Asian hate is on the decline.

Hate crimes are distinct from hate incidents, which are actions or behaviors motivated by hate that may be protected by the First Amendment right to freedom of expression. Often, these incidents, which include name-calling, insults, and distributing hate material in public places.  don't meet the level of a crime.

If a hate incident starts to threaten a person or property, it could escalate into a hate crime. 

FYI: Reports of hate incidents can be made to the California Civil Rights Department CA v. Hate online portal at any time in 15 languages or by calling the CA v. Hate hotline at (833) 866-4283 or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and talking to a trained civil rights agent in over 200 languages. Outside of those hours, people can leave a voicemail or call 211 to report a hate incident and seek support from a professional trained in culturally competent communication and trauma-informed practices.

Historically, hate crime data has generally been underreported by Asian Americans and the California Department of Justice recognizes that the data presented in its reports may not adequately reflect the actual number of hate crime events that have occurred in the state. 

One of the problems facing the community is the reluctance to report hate incidents because of mistrust of local law enforcement, inability to  speak English or fear of bringing unwanted attention to the family. 

Caution should be used when comparing 2023 hate crimes data to prior years, as not all agencies were able to submit a full year of data for 2023. For more information please reference the “Understanding the Data, Characteristics and Known Limitations” section in the report.

Some of the key findings from the 2023 Hate Crime in California Report include: 

• Reported hate crime events decreased 7.1% from 2,120 in 2022 to 1,970 in 2023.
• Hate crime offenses decreased 8.9% from 2,589 in 2022 to 2,359 in 2023.
• The number of victims of reported hate crimes decreased 6.9% from 2,474 in 2022 to 2,303 in 2023.
• Reported hate crime events involving a racial bias decreased 21.6% from 1,298 in 2022 to 1,017 in 2023.
• Anti-Black bias events remained the most prevalent, despite a 20.6% decrease from 652 in 2022 to 518 in 2023.
• Anti-Asian bias events decreased 10.71% from 140 in 2022 to 125 in 2023.
• Reported hate crime events involving a religion bias increased 30% from 303 in 2022 to 394 in 2023.
• Anti-Jewish bias events rose from 189 in 2022 to 289 in 2023, an increase of 52.9%.
• Anti-Islamic (Muslim) bias events rose from 25 in 2022 to 40 in 2023.
• Between 2022 and 2023, hate crime events motivated by sexual orientation bias increased by 4.1% from 391 in 2022 to 405 in 2023, anti-transgender bias events increased by 10.2% from 59 in 2022 to 65 in 2023, and anti-LGBTQ+ bias events increased by 86.4% from 2022.
• From 2022 to 2023, the number of hate crimes referred for prosecution increased from 647 in 2022 to 679 in 2023. Of the 679 hate crimes that were referred for prosecution, 463 cases were filed by district attorneys and elected city attorneys for prosecution. Of the 463 cases that were filed for prosecution, 322 were filed as hate crimes and 141 were filed as non-bias motivated crimes.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

California's Attorney General Bonta declares war on hate crimes

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta creates initiative against hate crimes.

Attorney General Rob Bonta, California's first Filipino American Attorney General, didn't waste time in creating new initiatives to battle the surge of hate crimes, especially those hate acts directed at the AAPI communities.

"Taking on hate crimes, will always be one of my top priorities," said Bonta in a virtual news conference, Tuesday, May 11.

 

Bonta announced the launching of the Racial Justice Bureau within the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and unveiled plans for a virtual convening against hate crime with California’s Big City Mayors.

Given the alarming rise in hate crimes and incidents against members of the Asian Pacific Islander community in particular, in his first month in office, Bonta is recommitting California's DOJ to further engaging with communities across the state to identify pathways for better serving the needs of all those facing hate.

Introducing his new initiative, he referenced the fight to preserve affordable housing in the San Francisco's Manilatown, he said, "Just as my mother, Cynthia, fought against injustices inflicted on Asian Americans outside the International Hotel in San Francisco in 1977. As California's Attorney General, I know, we cannot back down in the face of hate."

He continued, "Make no mistake, right now, we're in a full-on state of crisis -- a full-on state of emergency -- when it comes to hate violence against Asian American Pacific Islander community."

Together, the Bureau and virtual convening are a part of the state’s newest efforts to lead the development of strategies to address bias and hate at their roots and to strengthen responses to hate crime in California. The Bureau will initially bring six new attorneys and a supervising deputy attorney general to DOJ's Civil Rights Enforcement Section to help tackle some of California's most pressing racial and social justice issues head on.

“Throughout California’s history, too many of us have felt the sting of hate and discrimination,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The fact is: No part of California is immune to hate. Too many Asian, Latino, Black, Native American, people with disabilities, LGBTQ, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh Californians all across the state are hurting. It’s going to take all of us working together to take on bias and hate and their toxic effects on our society.

"As part of that, I’m launching a Racial Justice Bureau within the California Department of Justice and working to help bring together many of our major local elected leaders in common cause against hate," he said. "We must recommit ourselves to doing everything we can to better serve the needs of all Californians. All of our communities deserve to be seen, to be valued, and to be protected.”

Across California and the country, hate crimes and incidents persist and continue to have a toxic effect on all communities. Addressing this challenge will require the development of affirmative strategies that employ best practices and can be implemented across jurisdictions in order to quickly and decisively prevent and respond to the blatant expression of xenophobia and ignorance.

Strengthening DOJ’s capacity is one component of that effort. Operating out of the Civil Rights Enforcement Section, the Racial Justice Bureau will initially bring six new attorneys and a supervising deputy attorney general to the section to assist with ongoing work on a broad range of significant civil rights and constitutional matters — including working to address hate crimes — on behalf of the State of California. Importantly, the attorneys will increase focus on racial and social justice issues across DOJ’s civil rights work and support new and ongoing efforts to protect all Californians.

Specifically, the Bureau will support DOJ's broader mandate to advance the civil rights of all Californians and, among other things, assist with new and ongoing efforts on:

• Hate crimes and organizations, taking on the insidious effects of white supremacy and hate organizations on our society and stepping up outreach with community organizations and law enforcement on hate crime prevention, information sharing, and reporting;
• Implicit and explicit bias in policing, launching and supporting investigations as appropriate and recognizing the urgent need to strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve;
• Law enforcement best practices, issuing guidance to local law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public entities regarding shared challenges in providing for public safety;
• Campus climate issues, including conducting and supporting investigations into overly punitive, discriminatory policies where they arise and working to find innovative ways to strengthen diverse, equitable, and inclusive school environments; and
• Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, assisting with the implementation of the new task force as authorized under Assembly Bill 3121.

Complementing DOJ’s internal efforts to combat hate through the creation of the Bureau, the Attorney General will host a virtual convening with Big City Mayors at the end of the May to help increase information sharing and work to identify new, innovative solutions for tackling shared challenges, as well as highlight existing regional resources and actionable steps that can be taken by all Californians to fight back against hate.

Drawing on the expertise of local elected leaders, the virtual convening will seek to raise awareness around regional concerns involving hate crimes, support those who have been impacted by hate, and secure commitments for direct action across California.

Big City Mayors represents the state’s 13 largest cities and more than a quarter of California’s residents. Members of the coalition include Los Angeles, San Diego, San José, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Ana, and Stockton.

“The Mayors of California’s 13 largest cities look forward to working with Attorney General Bonta to combat hate crimes and discrimination in every form,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Chair of the Big City Mayors. “It will take all of us standing up for our wonderfully diverse community members to make California a welcome home for all.”

Bonta who was appointed to the state's top law enforcement office last month by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, attributed his interest in fighting injustice and hatred to his parents, who were active in the civil rights movement and union organizers for the United Farm Workers.  "At a young age," he said, "I learned from them ... that when something isn't going right, it's time to fight; that an injustice against one, is an injustice towards all."

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For those who are interested, the Racial Justice Bureau is now hiring and seeking qualified candidates to join a dynamic team of attorneys utilizing the authority of the Attorney General to advance civil rights, social justice, and racial equity in California. Attorney General Bonta urges people of all backgrounds to consider a career at DOJ and learn more about joining the team here: https://oag.ca.gov/careers.