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FBI: Hate crimes against Muslims up by 67 percent in 2015

Los Angeles Police Cmdr. Horace Frank, third from left, is joined by Omar Ricci, Spokesperson Islamic Center of Southern California, second from right, and Mahomed Akbar Khan, far right, as police shows a photo of multiple weapons found in the home of a man charged with making terrorist threats to the Islamic Center of Southern California, during a police news conference Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 in Los Angeles. Mark Lucian Feigin was arrested last week on the charge, which has been designated as a hate crime, according to authorities. Feigin, 40, has been released on bail. Police say Feigin first called the Islamic center Sept. 19 and left a hate-filled voicemail. The next day, they say, he called and threatened to kill people at the center.
Los Angeles Police Cmdr. Horace Frank, third from left, is joined by Omar Ricci, Spokesperson Islamic Center of Southern California, second from right, and Mahomed Akbar Khan, far right, as police shows a photo of multiple weapons found in the home of a man charged with making terrorist threats to the Islamic Center of Southern California, during a police news conference Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 in Los Angeles. Mark Lucian Feigin was arrested last week on the charge, which has been designated as a hate crime, according to authorities. Feigin, 40, has been released on bail. Police say Feigin first called the Islamic center Sept. 19 and left a hate-filled voicemail. The next day, they say, he called and threatened to kill people at the center.

By Associated Press 5 min read

ATLANTA – Reported hate crimes against Muslims rose in 2015 to their highest number since the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to FBI statistics released Monday.

Overall, the total number of hate crimes against all groups reported by law enforcement agencies to the FBI increased from 5,479 in 2014 to 5,850 last year. That remains far lower than the numbers seen in the early 2000s, but the FBI release comes amid numerous reports of attacks nationwide based on race and religion following last week’s presidential election.

The most recent reporting covers calendar year 2015, which included the terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, as well as Republican Donald Trump’s call for a ban on all Muslims entering the U.S. All of those, however, did not occur until the final two months of the year.

It’s not yet known whether Trump plans to implement such a ban now that he has won the presidency. Critics say his pledge has contributed to anti-Muslim sentiment.

“We’ve seen how words from public figures like Donald Trump translate into violence,” said Mark Potok with the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups in the U.S.