Anti-Semitism In Phoenix Rises 88% Since 2015

PHOENIX - The deadliest attack perpetrated against the Jewish community in the history of the United States occurred in 2018, contributing to the year with the third highest number of anti-Semitic incidents recorded in the country in 40 years. In Arizona, a total of 32 anti-Semitic incidents were reported in 2018, an increase by 6 from 2017.

The findings come from an audit published by the Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday has shown anti-Semitism has tripled since 2015, when there were a total of 4 reported hate incidents.

The Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh was the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history, which left 11 people dead and injured six others, including four police officers. The accused shooter, Robert Bowers, 46, reportedly posted anti-Semitic messages to the online website Gab, which The New York Times described as a “haven for white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other extremists.”

On Saturday, which marked the six-month anniversary of the Pittsburgh shooting and the last day of Passover, a gunman opened fire at a California synagogue in Poway, killing one person and injuring three others. According to The New York Times, the accused gunman, John Earnest, 19, reportedly posted an online manifesto before the attack where he said he was inspired by the Pittsburgh shooting and the shooting at the Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque.

"We’ve worked hard to push back against anti-Semitism, and succeeded in improving hate crime laws, and yet we continue to experience an alarmingly high number of anti-Semitic acts,” Jonathan Greenblatt, Anti-Defamation League CEO and National Director, said in a statement. "We unfortunately saw this trend continue into 2019 with the tragic shooting at the Chabad synagogue in Poway. It’s clear we must remain vigilant in working to counter the threat of violent anti-Semitism and denounce it in all forms, wherever the source and regardless of the political affiliation of its proponents."

According to the annual report, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 decreased compared to 2017, the year the FBI said there was a 37 percent increase in anti-Jewish offenses in the U.S. However, the league’s report found that the number of incidents attributed either to known extremist groups or those inspired by extremist ideology was the highest since 2004.

A total of 1,879 anti-Semitic incidents were identified by the league in 2018. The number of incidents reported in California, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts accounted for more than half of the incidents, the report says.

Of the anti-Semitism in Arizona, most of the incidents were classified as harassment. The most recent instance happening in Mesa back in January. An unknown group passed out fliers featuring swastikas in place of the letter "O" in the word love and the Jewish star in place of the letter "A" in the word "hate." Other fliers said "love your folk" and "you're not alone."

Not all these incidents are included in this report. A group of Paradise Valley High school students were disciplined after a Snapchat of them forming a swastika was widely shared during the same month.

The number of incidents per state can be seen in the ADL report (PDF).

In its report, the league said that incidents of physical assault and harassment increased compared to 2017 while vandalism cases decreased. The number of physical assaults in 2018 more than doubled compared to 2017. The league says that while its report includes instances of online anti-Semitism, “it only scratches the surface of the broader anti-Semitic online ecosystem.”

The league says that its audit consists of both criminal and non-criminal incidents. Anti-Semitic incidents of vandalism, harassment or assault are incidents where either “circumstances indicate anti-Jewish animus on the part of the perpetrator” or “the victim(s) could plausibly conclude that they were being victimized due to their Jewish identity,” according to the ADL’s definition. The report also acknowledges that both hate crimes and non-criminal incidents that meet the league’s definition of anti-Semitic incidents are included in the report.

You can read the full ADL report here.