21 May 2024: The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has released its comprehensive report on hate crimes during the first quarter of 2024, documenting a total of 72 incidents through its Hate Crime Tracker initiative.
Of these reported incidents, hate crimes constitute a significant majority at 76.1%, while hate speech accounts for 22.5%. A smaller fraction, 1.4%, involves both hate crimes and hate speech. Religious identity emerges as the primary driver in 66% of the cases.
The breakdown of hate crimes reveals various forms of violence: physical assault (33.3%), intimidation/harassment (28.9%), attack on property (11.1%), physical assault combined with intimidation/harassment (4.4%), mob/communal violence (4.4%), and other combinations.
Similarly, hate speech takes on multiple forms, with speech by political leaders comprising 55.5% of the cases, followed by speech by religious leaders at 22.2%. Incitement of hatred, speech inciting violence, residents celebrating festivals, and online speech collectively contribute to the remaining 22.3%.
The report also highlights the gender disparity among hate crime victims, with 83.3% being male and only 16.7% female.
Notably, the weaponization of religious celebrations to incite violence is a troubling trend, accounting for 25% of reported incidents. Public gatherings and rallies serve as platforms for spreading hate speech, with 13.3% occurring in each setting.
These numbers underscore the urgent need for collaborative efforts among communities, leaders, and law enforcement agencies to address hate-driven violence and speech effectively. Only through collective action can we strive towards building a more inclusive and tolerant society for all individuals.
