According to police data released on Tuesday, anti-Semitic incidents in New York City surged in January, nearly tripling amidst a backdrop of record low crime rates in other categories.
Specifically, hate crimes targeting Jewish people rose by 182%, with 31 incidents reported in January 2025 compared to just 11 in January 2024. The overall number of hate crimes for the month reached 56, which is a significant increase of 152% from the same time last year, as noted by the New York City Police Department.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of New York and New Jersey referred to this increase as “staggering.” ADL Regional Director Scott Richman highlighted the community’s heightened alertness, pointing to incidents such as swastikas found on playgrounds and car crashes at Jewish centers. He urged Mayor Mamdani to swiftly appoint a new head for the Mayor’s Office to Combat Anti-Semitism—someone who can effectively represent the concerns of the diverse Jewish community.
Despite the rise in hate crime incidents, the NYPD reported that shootings, both in terms of incidents and victims, along with homicides, reached record lows, calling January the “safest ever” for these categories.
The statistics reveal 40 shootings and 47 shooting victims this January, which is down from previous record lows of 50 and 56 in 2024 and 2019, respectively. Additionally, only 12 murders were recorded, significantly below the prior record of 22 set in 2018 and again in 2022.
Overall, crime in the city dropped by 6.7%, with decreases noted in various offenses including robberies and grand larceny.
Before exiting office, former Mayor Eric Adams had signed an executive order linking the city’s definition of anti-Semitism to that of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which classifies anti-Semitism as “hatred against Jews.” It aimed to clarify the parameters of anti-Semitic actions.
However, shortly after taking office, Mayor Mamdani repealed that executive order on January 1, his first day in the role.
