Jews still #1 NY target even as hate-crime falls

Hate crimes overall, and antisemitism in particular, was down in April compared to prior years, even though Jew-hatred rose in the earlier part of the year, Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the New York City Police Department, told attendees of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council annual legislative brunch at Congregation Anshei Lubavitch in Brooklyn on Sunday.

“Since Oct. 7, 2023, the NYPD has dealt with thousands of protests, many of them aimed at our Jewish community,” Tisch said. “You have been the target of some of the most vile and detestable rhetoric that I have heard. Under the First Amendment, we cannot and we don’t police speech, no matter how offensive, but we will never tolerate threats, harassment or violence.”

Jews make up some 10% of city residents, face more than half of all hate crimes, according to Tisch.

“We understand what that means for families, for houses of worship and for communities like this one,” she said. “That’s why the NYPD is relentless in investigating every complaint and confronting hate in any form, led by our hate crimes task force, the premier unit of its kind in the nation.”

“After a rise to start 2026, we are now down this year, so far, in both antisemitic and overall hate crimes year-to-date,” she said. “These crimes tear the fabric of society through both the acts themselves and the underlying hatred that seeks to divide us.”

Jewish New Yorkers were targeted in 59% of the total hate crimes reported and confirmed in the city in April, including 60% of confirmed incidents and 58% of reported ones, according to New York City Police Department data.

In April, the city recorded 30 confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes and no confirmed anti-Muslim hate crimes, out of a total 50 confirmed hate crimes, NYPD said.

Those anti-Jewish hate crimes (30) were down more than 30% from confirmed anti-Jewish hate incidents (43) in April 2025. Anti-Muslim hate crimes were also down — to zero, from two such confirmed incidents in April 2025.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has often highlighted what he says is rising Islamophobia in the city, including appearing to emphasize it more than Jew-hatred.