(JTA) — Crimes against Jews rose by 50 percent in Los Angeles County in 2009 amid a 21 percent overall decrease in hate crimes there.
The report on hate crimes for 2009 was released Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations.
The year had 580 hate crimes, compared with 730 in 2008, according to The Los Angeles Times, citing the report. But nearly 120 hate crimes targeted Jews in 2009 compared with fewer than 80 in 2008.
Many of the additional hate crimes directed at Jews involved graffiti incidents, the L.A. Times reported, citing the Anti-Defamation League.
More than half the incidents recorded were based on race, with African Americans being the major target, according to the report.
