Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes Spike in New York City

New York City has seen a major increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes this year, the New York City Police Department said.

Anti-Semitic hate crimes for the first two months of the year through Feb. 26 are up 94% compared to the same period last year — driving a 55% increase in hate crimes overall, NYPD officials said Wednesday, according to NBC News and DNAinfo New York.

Mayor Bill de Blasio sees the surge as part of a nationwide wave of discriminatory crimes since the presidential election, including bomb threats against Jewish community centers and schools and multiple vandalism incidents desecrating Jewish cemeteries.

“We will not accept anti-Semitism in this country,” he said. “An atmosphere of hate has been fostered in these last few months in America — we have to stop it.”

In response to the New York increase in hate crimes, city officials are ramping up police presence at centers of worship and extra security is planned for Passover.