Reports of anti-Semitic incidents in California decline, Anti-Defamation League reports
California showed a slight decline in reported anti-Semitic incidents from 2014 to 2015, according to an audit released Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League.
The ADL’s annual audit identifies both criminal and noncriminal acts of harassment and intimidation, including distribution of hate propaganda, threats and slurs.
In 2015, the group counted 105 incidents in California, compared with 127 incidents in 2014.
“It’s not a scientific survey, it’s not a poll,” said Amanda Susskind, ADL Pacific Southwest Regional Director. “This is something that is a headcount. We’re just counting how many reports we’ve heard about from the public, the press, law enforcement and the community.”
Despite an overall drop in reported incidents, the ADL said that episodes of anti-Semitic vandalism had increased. In 2015, there were 69 reports of vandalism in California, up from 54 in 2014
Traditionally, California and New York, with large Jewish populations, report the highest number of incidents. Last year, New York reported the most incidents with 198. California had the second-highest number of reported incidents.
“Overall, anti-Semitic incident totals in the U.S. are historically low,” the ADL said in a news release. “During the last decade, the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents peaked at 1,554 in 2006 and has been mostly on the decline ever since.”
alexia.fernandez@latimes.com
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