It’s no surprise that hate crimes are increasing at alarming rates across the country. Reports throughout the year have consistently noted increases in faith-, race-, and identity-based crimes nationwide. According to data compiled by the FBI, the highest level of hate crimes in over 12 years was reported in 2020. Hate crimes are defined by the agency as crimes “motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity.” While the overall increase in hate crimes in the U.S. rose by 6%, the data found that individual rates of increases in crimes were significantly higher, with some communities seeing over a 50% increase in hate crimes.

This data is followed by an even more terrifying report. The New York Police Department (NYPD) shared Tuesday that there has been a 100% increase in overall reported hate crimes. Anti-Asian, anti-LGBTQ, and antisemitic incidents were the ones that were reported to have the biggest increases. With the number of crimes that go unreported each day, the actual numbers of these incidents are expected to be higher.

A total of 503 reported crimes were included in the report from 2021, compared to just 22 in 2020. The task force examined hate crimes across all five boroughs.

According to the NYPD report, anti-Asian incidents jumped 361%, from 28 this time last year to 129 this year. Anti-LGBT cases are up 193%, from 29 victims last year to 85 this year. Antisemitic cases are up another 51%, with 121 cases by this time in 2020 and 183 this year.

“On the flip side of that, which shows the great work our hate crimes task force is doing, our arrests are up 106%. So on that 503 incidents, we’ve made 249 arrests on that,” NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said at a press conference.

Police officials noted that the increase in hate crimes has been driven by bias against the Asian community. They added that while many of the crimes were committed by prejudiced people, some of the suspects were also deemed mentally ill. The NYPD believes examining these crimes will allow the department to be better equipped to fight hate and prevent these biased crimes.

“We put these statistics out, it can often alarm the public. Nothing is more important to us than these cases, that’s why they have higher penalties,” NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said at Tuesday’s press conference. “Because it’s not just about one person, it’s meant to attack an entire group or class.”

“We have to shine a very bright light on this, and then making sure that everyone knows that when you do something like this, number one, you’ll be held accountable. But number two, it’s not acceptable, not only in this city, but anywhere,” Shea added.

According to NBC News, included in the recent cases investigated by the task force is one involving a man on a bicycle who hurled anti-Asian slurs at a woman in midtown Manhattan, and another involving three women or girls wanted for hitting and shoving three Jewish children in separate Brooklyn attacks. The youngest victim was just 3 years old. 

“The data is really shocking. It reminds me just to be more careful and take care of myself because things could happen,” a student Shihao Ent told CBS New York.