New data released from the Toronto Police finds there continues to be a rise in hate crimes in the city, including a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes.
The rise in anti-Asian incidents in 2021 contributed to the highest ever number of hate crimes in the city where the victim was targeted based on their ethnic or national origin since Toronto police began collecting data in 1993.
The report will go before the police board next week and details a surge in attacks towards the Asian community where victims were punched, spat on, or blamed for the coronavirus.
“There were four hate-motivated assault occurrences, wherein the suspects expressed blame on China for the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads the report from Toronto Police.
The number of reported hate-fueled assaults in the city nearly doubled in 2021 with east and south Asian people being the most victimized group, followed by members of the Black community.
Reported hate crime occurrences by year
Source: Toronto Police Services
Hate crime occurrences were up 22 per cent in 2021 from the previous year. There were 257 reported incidents compared to 2010 in 2020. The number of reported hate crimes in 2021 is nearly 60 per cent more than the current ten-year average of 162.
“In 2020, the service experienced a more than 50 per cent increase in reported hate crimes, this increase continued in 2021,” reads the report. “In order to better support and strengthen the relationship between the service and marginalized communities, the service intends to expand its HCU (Hate Crimes Unit) in 2022.”
The force says they intend to add two positions within the security section of the unit that will be dedicated to education, prevention and investigation into hate crimes.
Out of the reported incidents, the Jewish and Black communities were the most targeted for mischief-related events and the Black and LGBTQ2S+ communities received the most ‘uttered threats.’
“The fluctuation in the number of reported hate crimes and the community groups that are victimized may be attributed in various instances, to multiple factors including international events, community educational programs, and hate crime training,” reads the report.
Police say the ongoing global pandemic and political events are also thought to be “key contributing factors” to the increase in hate crime reporting.
Source: Toronto Police Services
Hate crimes up across Canada during first year of pandemic
Statistics Canada released data last month that showed a 37 per cent increase in hate crimes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statistics showed police-reported hate crimes targeting race or ethnicity rose 80 per cent in 2020 compared with 2019 and accounted for the bulk of the national increase. There were 2,669 hate crimes reported to police in 2020 – the highest number since comparable data became available in 2009.
Hate crimes targeting East or Southeast Asian people went up by over 300 percent, while hate against Indigenous people increased by 152 per cent. Those aimed at the Black community rose by 92 per cent, and South Asian populations saw a 38 per cent increase.
Canadians United Against Hate called on the federal government to implement an anti-hate strategy in coordination with provincial governments.
With files from The Canadian Press