New data published by the Anti-Defamation League shows there has been an unprecedented surge in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. since Hamas launched its attack on Israel on Oct. 7. At the same time, the Council on American-Islamic Relations says it has tracked a "staggering" number of complaints involving anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian incidents.
From Oct. 7 to Dec. 7, the Anti-Defamation League says there have been 2,031 antisemitic incidents in the United States, a 337% increase from the same time last year. The league says most incidents were rallies that included antisemitic language or expressed support for terrorism against Israel. The count also includes verbal or written harassment, vandalism and cases of physical assault. At one rally in California, a Jewish man died after being struck in the head by a pro-Palestinian protester.
The report says 1,411 of the incidents "could be clearly linked to the Israel-Hamas war."
"This terrifying pattern of antisemitic attacks has been relentless since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, with no signs of diminishing,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. "Public officials and college leaders must turn down the temperature and take clear action to show this behavior is unacceptable to prevent more violence.”
U. Penn's president and board chair resign amid antisemitism backlash
The university said Saturday evening that the chairman of the Ivy League school’s board of trustees, Scott Bok, resigned within hours.
Meanwhile, cases of anti-Muslim conduct are also on the rise across the country.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations says over the period from Oct. 7 to Dec. 2, it registered 2,171 complaints nationwide that included anti-Muslim or anti-Palestinian hate. This was a 172% increase over the same period last year.
The incidents included violations of free speech rights, employment crimes and hate speech.
“From Burlington to Chicago to D.C. and elsewhere, innocent Americans are suffering the consequences of this wave of bigotry,” CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement. “Until our nation stops the violence IN Gaza and rejects bigotry here in America, we fear that both Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism will continue to spin out of control.”
