Increase in Hate Crimes in Metro Washington, DC

October 3, 2001

Source: The Washington Post

On October 3, 2001, The Washington Post reported that incidents suspected as hate crimes "have increased around the region since Sept. 11, with most victims being Arab Americans, Muslims, Sikhs and people who look Middle Eastern. More than 20 such incidents have been reported in Fairfax County ...Montgomery County has had 12 reported hate crimes...Police said they suspect that many incidents are not being reported, [they] have increased patrols at all of the county's mosques and Islamic schools...A few of the recently reported incidents have occurred against Jewish people, police said. A Jewish man received a threatening e-mail that disparaged people of Jewish faith and expressed satisfaction that Jewish people had died in the terrorist attacks. Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville reported that a man shouted an Arabic phrase meaning 'God is Great' as worshipers were leaving a service."