SAN DIEGO, CA – Adam L. Braverman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, responded today to a recent report reflecting that the number of hate crime incidents reported to the FBI in 2017 increased approximately 17 percent nationwide and 15 percent in San Diego.
According to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program’s annual Hate Crimes Statistics report, law enforcement agencies reported double-digit increases nationally in hate incidents in 2017 compared to 2016. Compiling data from a newly increased number of reporting agencies nationwide, the UCR statistics also show a consistent increase in reported incidents in San Diego. In 2016, 35 reports of hate incidents were reported in San Diego, including 16 incidents motivated by race, ethnicity, or ancestry, and 7 incidents motivated by religion. In 2017, 41 incidents were reported, with race incidents increasing to 17 and incidents motivated by religion climbing to 12. Twelve incidents motivated by sexual orientation or gender were reported in both 2016 and 2017.
Outside of the city, the number of reported incidents in San Diego County slightly decreased from 18 (13 motivated by race, ethnicity, or ancestry; 1 motivated by religion; 4 motivated by sexual orientation) in 2016 to 14 (7 motivated by race, ethnicity, or ancestry; none motivated by religion; 7 motivated by sexual orientation) in 2017. No information was provided to the FBI regarding reported incidents in Imperial County.
“Hatred and violence on the basis of race, religion and sexual orientation have no place in our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “The United States has been a ‘shining city upon a hill’ because Americans appreciate that diversity makes us stronger as a people. Today, we mark the 155th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address and are reminded that we still have unfinished work. We will neither tolerate nor accept the actions of those who seek to weaken our bonds. We remain steadfast in our commitment to prosecuting those that commit crimes motivated by hate.”
“Bringing justice to victims of hate crimes is a priority for me,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said. “Hate crimes are particularly hurtful in that they target vulnerable people who have historically suffered from prejudice and they cause a ripple effect of fear and anguish within entire communities around the victim. Through our hate crimes prosecutors and victim advocates, we stand ready to support and protect victims of hate crimes and to hold their abusers accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Braverman announced the second San Diego Regional Hate Crimes Coalition’s (SDRHCC) “Stop the Hate” Community Forum, scheduled for Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at 6:00 p.m. in Balboa Park’s Santa Fe Conference Room. Earlier this year, the SDRHCC hosted the first “Stop the Hate” Community Forum at the El Cajon Police Department and plans to host additional forums in the coming months. The SDRHCC, which began in 1997, is a coalition of non-governmental organizations, community-based groups, and law enforcement agencies that coordinate outreach, education, and responses regarding hate crimes and hate incidents in the San Diego area. The forum will include panels of prosecutors explaining legal rights and resources, community leaders discussing hate incidents and bullying, and victim-witness coordinators from state and federal agencies providing information for victims of hate incidents and crimes.
In addition to United States Attorney Braverman and John Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office, speakers at the Community Forum will include representatives from the Anti-Defamation League, Border Angels, Islamic Center of San Diego, San Diego District Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The forum is open to the public. Plenty of free parking is available. Press availability will begin at 5:30.
