While hate crimes decreased by 1%, from 1,367 in 2023 to 1,355 in 2024, throughout Los Angeles County, public safety officials on Thursday said that number marked the second-highest total number of such crimes and vowed to make the region a more welcoming place.
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On Thursday, the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations released its annual analysis of hate crimes for 2024, which revealed record- highs in reported hate crimes across multiple groups such as African Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals, Jewish people, Latino/as, Middle Easterners, women, Israelis, Muslims and Scientologists. The report highlighted a significant increase in crimes occurring in schools, and cases connected to conflicts in the Middle East.
Since 1980, the commission has compiled, analyzed and produced the annual report of hate crime data submitted by more than 100 law enforcement agencies, educational institutions and community-based organizations.
"Each of these numbers represents a person whose dignity was violated and whose community feels that harm," county Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement. "This year's report makes clear that hate isn't slowing -- it's evolving and appearing in the daily lives of far too many Angelenos."
The supervisor noted the county is strengthening its partnerships with schools, community organizations and survivors to confront hate "early, directly and with compassion."
"No matter who you are or how you show up in the world, you deserve to be safe and supported in Los Angeles County. We will not rest until that is true for everyone," Horvath added.
Highlights of the report found the following:
-- Reported hate crimes in Los Angeles County decreased by a percentage point, from 1,367 in 2023 to 1,355 in 2024, the second-highest total in the history of this report;
-- African Americans were again grossly overrepresented in the overall total of those targeted and made up 51% of racial hate crime victims. The 345 anti-Black crimes were the highest number ever reported;
-- There were 102 anti-transgender crimes, the largest number ever documented in this report. A staggering 95% of these crimes were violent;
-- Anti-Latino/a crimes slightly decreased from 145 to 143, the second- highest number recorded in the history of this report;
-- Anti-Middle Eastern crimes sharply increased by 118% from 22 to 48, the largest count in the current database;
-- Anti-female crimes grew 75% from 20 to 35 and set a record for the highest number ever recorded;
-- Anti-Israeli crimes increased 27% from 22 to 28, the highest count in our current database;
-- Hate crimes targeting non-binary people sharply increased 275% from 4 to 15, higher than 2023, when we began tracking this targeted group;
-- Race, ethnicity and national origin was by far the most common motivation, constituting 48% of all hate crimes. The 678 victims in 2024 was the highest count in the current database;
-- Crimes targeting Muslims and Scientologists set records for the highest counts ever, and anti-Jewish crimes were the second-highest recorded in the history of this report;
-- 72% of crimes motivated by sexual orientation targeted gay men. This was the second-largest number ever documented for this motivation;
-- Hate crimes taking place at schools grew from 139 to 147 and accounted for 11% of all hate crimes, the most ever documented in this report; and
-- Crimes in which there was specific language regarding conflict in the Middle East sharply increased 64 to 81. This is the largest number ever recorded since tracking this statistic began in 2007.
"We are seeing a second wave of unprecedented data reflecting the impact of hate across diverse communities in L.A. County," Helen Chin, president of the county Commission on Human Relations, said in a statement.
Robin Toma, executive director of the commission, added the report shows that county communities are "under attack from multiple fronts," a reflection of how the rest of the nation stands. She encouraged residents to learn about their LA vs Hate initiative, which provides victims/survivors with confidential services in multiple languages and informs hate-prevention strategies.
County Sheriff Robert Luna emphasized that his department investigates all hate-motivated acts with the highest priority and seeks to hold offenders accountable.
"We want our community to know that we are here to protect them and that hate has no place in Los Angeles County," Luna said in a statement.
Alan Hamilton, Los Angeles Police Department chief of detectives, echoed Luna's message, adding that officers will "stand shoulder to shoulder" with their law enforcement and governmental partners to address hate crimes.
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