NYC Antisemitic Hate Crimes Jump 71% Despite Overall Crime Drop

Antisemitic hate crimes in New York City rose by more than 70% last month even as murders, shootings, and other major crimes fell to historic lows, according to new NYPD statistics released Wednesday.

The department recorded 68 confirmed hate crimes in May, up from 39 during the same month last year. Of those incidents, 41 targeted Jews, compared to 24 in May 2025, representing a roughly 71% increase.

The figures highlight a growing concern for New York's Jewish community, which continues to face elevated levels of antisemitism more than two and a half years after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The report has also intensified criticism of Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani from some Jewish leaders.

According to the NYPD, antisemitic incidents accounted for about 60% of all confirmed hate crimes in the city during May. Year-to-date data shows Jews remain the most frequently targeted group in hate-crime investigations across the five boroughs.

The increase stands in sharp contrast to broader crime trends. Overall major crime fell nearly 11% in May compared to the same period last year. The city recorded just 102 murders during the first five months of 2026, the lowest number for that period since record-keeping began. Shootings also fell to record lows, while the Bronx posted the largest decline in major crime among the five boroughs.

“New Yorkers across every corner of our city are benefitting from a police department that is focused and strategic,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. “These accomplishments are the result of a precision policing approach that follows the data, goes after guns, takes down gangs and puts our officers where and when they are needed most.”

Jewish leaders said the rise in antisemitic incidents was not surprising.

“There isn’t any shock in the Jewish community that antisemitic hate crimes have risen against our community by 70%,” Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers, told the New York Post.

Spern also criticized Mamdani, a leading progressive candidate in the mayoral race who recently boycotted New York's Israel Day Parade.

“He is contributing to this problem, and he knows he is,” Spern said.

Mamdani has rejected accusations that he is indifferent to antisemitism and has proposed increasing city spending on hate-crime prevention. Earlier this year, he announced a plan to allocate $26 million annually toward anti-hate initiatives beginning in fiscal year 2027.

“Jewish New Yorkers constitute a minority of New Yorkers across the five boroughs and yet constitute a majority of New Yorkers who face hate crimes in this city,” Mamdani said when outlining the proposal.

Several high-profile incidents have drawn attention in recent weeks, including attacks on visibly Jewish New Yorkers, vandalism targeting Jewish businesses and institutions, and swastika graffiti discovered in multiple locations across the city. Authorities also arrested an NYU student accused of displaying a swastika flag above a university building during graduation week.

The spike in antisemitic incidents comes as New York has begun taking new steps to address concerns about Jewish safety. Last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation aimed at preventing the harassment of worshippers outside synagogues and other houses of worship, allowing police to create 50-foot security zones during demonstrations and penalizing those who obstruct access or intimidate attendees. 

The NYPD says enforcement efforts have increased in response. Hate-crime arrests rose 20% during the first five months of 2026, while arrests connected specifically to antisemitic incidents increased by 6%.

Despite those efforts, the latest figures suggest antisemitic crimes continue to outpace enforcement gains, ensuring that concerns about Jewish safety remain a central issue for both community leaders and candidates seeking to lead America's largest city.