Chicago hate crime reports plunge even after city made reporting easier

Chicago’s initiative to boost hate crime reporting is yielding an unexpected outcome.

Although new methods have been implemented for residents to report bias incidents and efforts to identify potential hate crimes have been increased, the number of hate crimes reported to the Chicago Police Department has significantly decreased. CPD records indicate that hate crime reports have fallen by 30% compared to the first half of the previous year and by 54% from the same period in 2024, with reductions seen in all major protected categories.

This decline is surprising given the extensive media coverage of recent incidents, such as a cross-burning in Grant Park that an Asian college student said was meant as a message to “MAGA Christian nationalists” supporting President Donald Trump, rather than targeting Blacks.

Hate crime reports spiked in June 2020 following the protests and riots triggered by the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The number of cases continued to rise over the next few years, reaching a peak of 303 reports in 2023.

The surge in 2023 was primarily driven by religion-based hate crimes, with the Israel-Hamas conflict sparking pro-Palestinian demonstrations that some people used as a pretext to target Jewish residents and institutions.

In response, the Chicago City Council unanimously passed the “CHI vs. Hate” ordinance in December 2023. This policy established a system allowing residents to report “hate incidents” through 311, even if the actions did not legally qualify as a hate crime.

Proponents argued that the ordinance would make it easier for victims to come forward and provide the city with a clearer picture of bias-related incidents that might otherwise go unreported. Despite these enhanced reporting efforts, hate crime reports have decreased across all major protected categories.

According to CPD, race-based hate crimes have decreased from 170 cases in 2023 and 123 last year to 33 in the first half of this year. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation have dropped from a peak of 64 cases in 2024 to 24 by June 30. Similarly, religion-based hate crimes have declined from 89 reports last year to 16 in the first six months of this year.

Hate crimes based on gender identity have also decreased. After an average of about nine cases annually since 2019, peaking at 11 in 2024, the city recorded three cases in the first half of this year.

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th), the only Jewish member of the City Council and the lead sponsor of the CHI vs. Hate ordinance, expressed optimism about the decline in hate crime reports.

“I am encouraged that hate crime numbers have declined, and I am deeply grateful to Supt. Larry Snelling and the dedicated Chicago police officers who work every day to keep all our diverse communities safe,” Silverstein said Wednesday. “This reduction underscores the critical role our police play in protecting residents and improving public safety.”

Nevertheless, Silverstein acknowledged that more work needs to be done.

“We cannot overlook the fact that anti-Jewish hate crimes remain disproportionately high against a community that makes up only 3% of Chicago’s population,” Silverstein pointed out, noting her Far North Side ward’s significant Jewish population.

She called on Mayor Brandon Johnson to address the issue with the seriousness it warrants.

Ald. Timmy Knudsen (43rd), a member of the City Council’s LGBTQ+ caucus, also welcomed the trend, expressing relief that hate crimes, especially antisemitic incidents, are on the decline.

Knudsen, who represents much of Lincoln Park, sponsored the city’s Stop Hate Littering Ordinance, which was approved in 2024 after antisemitic flyers were distributed alongside rat poison. His office stated that the ordinance enhanced the city’s response capabilities by increasing enforcement tools and accountability for those distributing hateful propaganda.

“While legislation alone won’t solve hate, it sends a clear message that, with strong enforcement measures and tools, acts like these have no place in Chicago,” Knudsen’s office stated.

Several public officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment for this article, including Mayor Brandon Johnson; Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th), who is gay and represents Boystown; Ald. Maria Hadden (49th), who identifies as the “first Black, queer woman elected to Chicago City Council”; Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), whose ward includes part of Andersonville; and Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th), a member of the council’s LGBTQ+ caucus.

In a statement, the CPD emphasized its commitment to addressing hate crimes by fostering an environment that encourages victims to report these offenses and by thoroughly investigating all reported cases. “We understand the trauma and fear that are inflicted on both victims and our communities when a hate crime is committed, and we are continuously working to advocate and support those affected through victim services and continued outreach.”

Original reporting you’ll see nowhere else, paid for by our readers. Click here to support our work.