The high levels were prompted by an increase of hate crimes reported against both Black and Asian Americans.
The number of hate crimes in the U.S. last year rose to its highest level since 2008, the FBI said Monday, caused partly by an increase of assaults reported against both Black and Asian victims, groups that have faced hostility during the Covid-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests. “These hate crimes and other bias-related incidents instill fear across entire communities and undermine the principles upon which our democracy stands,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Monday. “… The department has rededicated itself to combatting unlawful acts of hate, including by improving incident reporting, increasing law enforcement training and coordination at all levels of government, prioritizing community outreach and making better use of civil enforcement mechanisms.
