Story perspectives

NYC Mayor Reports 8.5% Hate Crime Rise, Increases $26M Budget

8/5/2026

Summary

Mamdani Boosts Funding

Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported an 8.5% rise in antisemitic hate crimes in 2026, to 205 from 189.
Mamdani increased the Hate Crime Prevention budget by 800% to $26 million as Speaker Julie Menin unveiled a Five-Point Plan to combat antisemitism.
On July 23, suspect Raul Morales shouted “Allahu Akbar” during a Manhattan stabbing that injured a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke and an Asian man.

Summary

Dhillon Demands Answers

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent Mayor Zohran Mamdani a letter demanding answers on alleged unequal treatment of Jews.
Dhillon’s letter followed a conversation with Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, about hate-crime complaints.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Mamdani’s remarks “blasphemy,” linking them to the Upper West Side stabbing.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted that a Florida synagogue attacker reposted Mamdani’s anti-Israel video, warning it fuels violence.

History

Historical Context

The 1991 Crown Heights riot, in which two people died and about 190 were injured, marked a sharp spike in New York antisemitic violence. That episode followed a century of urban unrest—from the 1863 draft riots to the 1992 Washington Heights riots—prompting city officials to respond with heightened policing. Contemporary budget increases echo those earlier attempts to curb such attacks.

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Mamdani Boosts Funding

Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported an 8.5% rise in antisemitic hate crimes in 2026, to 205 from 189.
Mamdani increased the Hate Crime Prevention budget by 800% to $26 million as Speaker Julie Menin unveiled a Five-Point Plan to combat antisemitism.
On July 23, suspect Raul Morales shouted “Allahu Akbar” during a Manhattan stabbing that injured a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke and an Asian man.

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