JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hate crimes reported in America are appearing an alarming upward thrust once more, in accordance to a revised record from the FBI documenting 2021 circumstances.
The record displays a 12% building up in hate crime reports around the country. Those hate crime reports come with 18 murders.
Agents indicate that the information isn’t entire, as now not all police departments and sheriff’s workplaces contributed. In Florida, the newest information record displays 116 reports of hate crimes.
RELATED: FBI: Hate crimes confirmed every other alarming upward thrust in 2021
From projections on downtown Jacksonville structures and the stadium to indicators on interstates and flyers in yards, North Florida has observed indicators of hatred.
News4JAX on Tuesday spoke with Jacksonville Jewish Federation CEO Mariam Feist and requested her if she worries that messages like the ones are going to enlarge the danger of crimes towards the Jewish neighborhood.
“You always worry about that — less concerned about the actual people in these groups, as compared to someone who feels that what their messages that they’re portraying are a call to action,” Feist mentioned.
Feist mentioned she’s disenchanted however now not stunned to see the newest FBI record displays an building up in hate crimes.
“All reports have shown that they’re getting worse and especially in different areas, so Florida is a hotspot. Northeast Florida is a hotspot. And the rhetoric is just increasing,” Feist mentioned.
According to the newest record record 2021 hate crime circumstances, lots of the sufferers — 64.5% — had been focused due to their race, ethnicity, or ancestry; every other 16% had been focused over their sexual orientation; and 14% of circumstances concerned spiritual bias.
VIEW: FBI’s updated hate crimes statistics | 2021 Florida hate crimes report
In reaction, the Jewish Federation is expanding training about tolerance, sparking communique with neighborhood leaders and citizens, and lengthening safety, together with hiring a former FBI agent as a safety director for the world.
“We’re seeing our trans community really under attack. I mean, it’s our trans loved ones are the group that in particular in our group are seeing the worst of the increase in violence,” mentioned Cindy Nobles, president of the Jacksonville-based LGBTQ+ advocacy workforce PFLAG.
She says individuals are very involved, mentioning assaults or even murders through the years.
“I mean, the worst thing that we could possibly do is ask our LGBTQ+ loved ones to go back into the closet and hide who they are. That’s not a solution to anything. So all we can say right now is, if you are questioning someplace that you’re going, reach out to others in the community, make sure you’re going to a safe place,” Nobles mentioned.
FBI Jacksonville Special Agent In Charge Sherri Onks despatched News4JAX this remark about hate crimes:
“Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim; they are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. Unfortunately, these heinous crimes often go unreported because victims fear retaliation. FBI Jacksonville has been working to assure vulnerable communities across North Florida that we will stop at nothing to seek justice when victims come forward, and we renew that commitment today. No individual should live in fear because of someone’s intolerance and hatred.”
FBI brokers say, in case you see one thing suspicious, say one thing, and record it to government. To record a hate crime, name 1-800-CALL-FBI or discuss with tips.fbi.gov.
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