Anti-Semitism in New York City Up 35%

Hate crimes against Jews in New York City have quickly risen over the summer. The New York Post reports anti-Semitic incidents rose 35 percent by Sept. 9 compared to 2013.

There have been 85 anti-Semitic incidents in 2014 compared to 63 incidents in 2013.

Anti-Muslim hate crime also rose – 15 incidents have happened so far this year, compared to seven in 2013. Anti-Muslim assaults rose from one last year to six in 2014.

A group with Palestinian flags attacked an Upper East Side couple and a Muslim activist was threatened with beheading in Brooklyn.

Citywide hate crimes rose from 173 last year to 203 incidents so far in 2014.

The Middle East has been the center of violence since July, when rockets were fired at Israel, Israel returned strikes on Gaza and two American journalists were beheaded by terrorist group ISIS.

Hate crime statistics are difficult to monitor as they’re usually only released to the public annually.

Head of the City Council’s Jewish Caucus Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) is drafting a bill to include hate crime data in the NYPD’s Compstat report.