DENVER — A new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) shows antisemitic incidents reached an all-time high in Colorado in 2024.
According to the ADL, there were 279 antisemitic incidents in Colorado last year — the 9th most in the nation and a 41% increase from the year before.
The ADL also found that Colorado has the third most incidents of white supremacist propaganda, including 54 incidents of vandalism, six incidents of harassment, and one public demonstration
Susan Rona, ADL's Rocky Mountain regional director, said anti-Israel sentiment over the war in Gaza is only a small part of the reason behind these numbers.
"Social media, lack of education, the political climate. There are multiple factors contributing to these numbers. What's really alarming is it's much higher than the national average," said Rona.
Nationally, incidents of antisemitism are up five percent.
"I find the number surprising and upsetting, and it shows a normalization of hatred of Jews in Colorado that has to stop. We need everyone to be alarmed by these numbers and to recognize these aren't just numbers, there are people being impacted by hatred in their community solely for the fact that they're Jewish," said Rona.
According to the ADL, this is the fourth year in a row that annual incidents nationally exceeded the previous all-time high.
In Colorado, the antisemitic incidents included:
- Bomb threats that targeted at least 10 synagogues
- A group of middle school students assaulted a Jewish student after asking him if he supported Israel.
- A Star of David and the word "Jew" were spray-painted outside the residence of an Orthodox Jewish student at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Aurora
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Rona said it's up to all of us to stop this hatred.
"I think it's being an ally to any type of hate when someone is being targeted. Speak up for them, not just against Jewish hatred but against all types of hatred because we're all safer when we stop this type of hatred from happening," said Rona.
Nationally, the ADL audit recorded 9,354 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment, and vandalism across the country, more than one per hour. This is a 344 % increase over the past five years and an 893% increase over the past 10 years.
The ADL began tracking this data in 1979.
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