HAMILTON, Ont. โ Hamilton Police Service reported a 35 percent increase in hate-related incidents in 2024, with 297 occurrences compared to 220 the previous year. Of these, 106 were criminal offences and 191 were non-criminal bias incidents, the annual hate-crime report shows.
Religiously motivated incidents rose to 66, the majority directed at Jewish individuals and institutions. Racial incidents numbered 157, and those based on sexual orientation or gender identity reached 72.
โHate crimes impact more than just individuals,โ Police Chief Frank Bergen said. โThey affect the sense of safety and belonging for entire communities. It is our shared responsibility to confront hate and support one another.โ
Jewish community leaders in Hamilton expressed alarm at the data. A spokesperson for one advocacy organization said the increase reflects a troubling national trend, noting that Canada recorded 6,219 antisemitic incidents in 2024, the highest annual total on record. The spokesperson urged municipal and provincial authorities to invest in security measures for synagogues, schools, and community centres.
The Hamilton Jewish Federation called for expanded hate-crime training for local police and funding through federal security grant programs. โOur community must be able to worship, learn, and live without fear,โ the Federation said in a statement.
Hamilton Police attributed the uptick to the rise of extremist online ideologies and geopolitical tensions stoked by the Israel-Hamas conflict. Staff Sgt. Ryan Hashimoto of the hate-crime unit told the police board that incidents are often โrandom in natureโ but have serious psychological impacts on targeted groups.
This article is based on verified information from The Hamilton Spectator, CHCH News, Hamilton Police Service, and Wikipedia.