Racial hate crimes in L.A. County are at their highest level, report shows

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The number of reported hate crimes committed in L.A. County in 2023 has risen 18% from the year before, according to the latest report from the L.A. County Commission on Human Relations released Wednesday. 

People were targeted for their race in 45% of all reported hate crimes, according to the data from 2023. Executive director of the Commission on Human Relations Robin Toma said in a press conference that when he first learned of the 2023 numbers for all hate crimes across the county, he was “shocked and taken aback.” But he recognized the rise in numbers showed the county was reaching more victims than ever before.

“When I thought about it, I realized that one of the things that is happening is that we are succeeding in a certain way in getting people to report hate,” Toma said. “More than twice the number of violent hate crimes that are reported to law enforcement are actually committed but don't get reported to the FBI.”

The annual analysis of hate crimes reported throughout Los Angeles County in 2023 includes information on hate crimes targeting people for their race, immigration status, sexuality, gender and disability. 

The report includes data from not only the Los Angeles Police Department and Sheriff’s Department, but also from initiatives such as L.A. vs. Hate and 211, which was the third largest source of hate crime reports. The information is collected from more than 75 law enforcement agencies, school districts and community-based organizations throughout L.A. County. 

Toma said anti-Latino crimes are disproportionately lower than would be expected based on the L.A. County population, about half of which are Latino. The report speculates that this is because of a reluctance from Latino victims to reach out to law enforcement for reporting, due to a general mistrust of law enforcement, a language barrier or fear of questioning their immigration status. Victims instead opt to discuss with relatives, community members or their church. 

 According to Toma, victims have said they were reluctant to report crimes because they didn’t feel that their incident was important enough to be reported to the police. They felt there was nothing the police could do to help, the police would not want to be bothered or get involved in their situation, or reporting a hate crime would bring more trouble to the victim.

Anti-immigrant crimes were 71% anti-Latino, according to the report and its accompanying fact sheets. Specifically, anti-Mexican slurs were employed in 58% of anti-Latino crimes. Also targeted for their ethnicity were four Colombians, one Venezuelan and one Haitian.

Toma also said the anti-Latino hate crimes reported were the most likely to be violent of any racial or ethnic group, by 87%. 

African Americans were the largest racial group targeted in hate crimes, and Latinos were the largest group of suspects for those crimes at 52%. White non-Latinos comprised 41% of anti-black suspects. 

Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell of the Second District was in attendance at the press conference, speaking on her disappointment at the statistics in the report, and her personal experiences.  

“I have to say when I saw the report when I got up this morning, I had to force a little step in my step,” Mitchell said. “Because as Fannie Lou Hamer said, ‘I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.’ As a Black woman in L.A. County, this isn't Alabama or Mississippi. I experience without exaggeration, minimally, a microaggression every single day, every single day. And so what I hope doesn't happen with this report is that we grow numb and feel a sense of overwhelm and think it's beyond us…to do anything.”

Supervisor Kathryn Barger of the Fifth District also spoke, reflecting on the importance of the report and the power of individuals to make change by reporting hate crimes. 

“[Hate crimes] harm the entire community. They are an attack on the very fabric of who we are and the shared values that unite us,” Barger said. “The report is more than just data. It serves as a mirror reflecting the challenges we face and the work we must do to create a community where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.”