FBI reports highest level of hates crime in US in 12 years: media

A recent report showed that hate crimes in the United States have risen to the highest level in 12 years, triggered largely by a surge in assaults on Black and Asian Americans, The Guardian newspaper reported.

The report, compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said there were 7,759 identified hate crimes in 2020, which was a 6-percent increase on 2019 and the highest number since 2008.

The data, submitted to the FBI by more than 15,000 state and local police agencies, showed that in 2020 anti-Black assaults increased from 1,930 to 2,755, a 40-percent increase on 2019, while anti-Asian assaults rose from 158 to 274, up 70 percent.

Of 6,576 offenders recorded, 55 percent were white, 20 percent Black, 16 percent unknown, 6 percent of multiple races and 1 percent Asian, said the report.

Meanwhile, anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish hate crimes decreased by 42 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the FBI Hate Crime Statistics report for 2020 "demonstrates the urgent need for a comprehensive response."

Garland said most hate crimes were motivated by race, ethnicity, ancestry or gender identity.

Many activists and lawmakers believe the actual number of hate crimes is larger than reported, arguing that local police are poorly trained in identifying and classifying such crimes and lack resources and interest.