According to FBI Director Christopher Wray, antisemitism is on the rise in the United States following Hamas’ attack on Israel.
Wray told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that the threat is “reaching, in some ways, sort of unprecedented levels,” in part because the Jewish community is targeted by terrorists “across the spectrum.”
The director of the FBI claims that the bureau’s records show that Jewish Americans are disproportionately the victims of hate crimes.
In fact, according to our data, this small segment of the population is responsible for almost 60 percent of all religiously motivated hate crimes, Wray added.
The head of the FBI has stated that antisemitism is a priority issue for the agency. They are using Joint Terrorism Task Forces, looking into hate crimes, and exchanging information.
Wray emphasized that there is no need for alarm but that heightened vigilance is warranted. He said we shouldn’t cease going about our regular activities, such as visiting places of education and church, but we should be on the lookout for any suspicious activity.
The adage “if you see something, say something” is more relevant now than it ever has been, he said.
On Monday, the Biden administration unveiled a plan to curb antisemitism on college campuses in the wake of recent rallies targeting the Jewish state.
The Justice and Homeland Security Departments, along with local law enforcement, are working together to keep an eye on online hate speech and provide federal support to schools as part of this initiative. Webinars detailing the reporting process will also be made available by the Education Department.
After threats were made against Jewish students on a public internet forum, Cornell University took the necessary precautions. The threats were uncovered soon after the derogatory “F—k Israel” graffiti was spotted on campus walkways.
Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday that officials have identified a person of interest and are currently questioning them.
