Vancouver police incurred over $2.5 million in overtime costs since October 7 alone due to a rise in hate crimes and antisemitism.
According to the VPD, tensions from the Israel-Hamas war have, in part, fueled increases in protest activity and hate crimes in Vancouver, contributing to a rise in antisemitism.
“Your suffering is seen and heard,” said VPD Staff Sergeant Astrid Bonter, who is with the VPD diversity, community, and Indigenous relations section.
The force has shared some troubling stats about the rise in hate crime in Vancouver last year compared to 2022.
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Antisemitism reports increased by 62% in 2023 compared to 2022, when there were 29 incidents in total reported to the VPD.
Forty-seven antisemitic hate incidents were reported to Vancouver police in 2023, and 33 of those occurred after October 7, when the conflict began. Criminal charges have been recommended in 17 of the cases, resulting in nine people being charged across 11 different incidents.
Hate crimes have increased across various groups.
“Vancouver police investigated 265 hate crime reports across all communities in 2023, a 31% increase from the previous year. Increased reporting from the 2SLGBTQ+, South Asian, and Jewish communities – fueled largely by geo-political tensions – were all major factors,” VPD said.
The force also said that there were an “unprecedented number of protests in Vancouver last year.”
“Anyone who experiences a hate crime, and anyone who has concerns for their safety or the safety of others, is encouraged to contact police. Emergencies should be reported to 911. Additional information on how to report a hate crime, as well as how to access victim services, is available at VPD.ca, which can be auto-translated into more than 100 languages.”
#VPDNews: Tensions from the Israel-Hamas war have fueled increases in protest activity and hate crimes in Vancouver, resulting in rising anti-Semitism and more than $2.5 million in overtime costs to the VPD since October 7 alone. https://t.co/sZxYMnLUYd pic.twitter.com/MEzaWspLNs
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) January 16, 2024
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