Hate-crime complaints in New York City have surged by 20 percent this year – with anti-Semitic incidents spiking 36 percent in the last 90 days, reports the New York Daily News. Deputy Inspector Michael Osgood, commanding officer of the police Hate Crime Task Force, said that 260 hate-crime complaints have been filed this year.
Prior to this year, hate-crime complaints had been trending steadily downward, with some occasional spikes. Overall, hate-crime complaints have declined by 60 percent during the last 15 years. “The current spike started in the beginning of August, right when Jena, La., hit the national headlines,” Osgood said.