Violent antisemitic incidents increased in Los Angeles in 2025, according to new data from the Anti-Defamation League, which says the year marked “one of the most violent periods for American Jews.”
The ADL documented 6,274 antisemitic incidents nationwide in 2025 — including assault, harassment and vandalism — averaging roughly 17 per day.
While there was an overall decline in overall incidents — 2024 had 9,354 incidents — the amount of violent cases increased, according to ADL Los Angeles Senior Regional Director David Englin.
“There is an overall decrease in incidents, and that’s because incidents of harassment have gone down. But unfortunately, it’s not a good news story because the real issue is that violent incidents have gone up,” he told the California Post.
Assaults rose 4% to 203 incidents, up from 196 in 2024. Assaults involving a deadly weapon jumped 39%, from 23 to 32 incidents. At least 300 people were victims of physical assaults, and three people were killed in antisemitic attacks — the first such fatalities since 2019.
Incidents were reported in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with the highest totals in New York, California, and New Jersey.
California ranked second nationwide with 817 incidents.
Within California, Los Angeles remains a key focus.
The region recorded 419 incidents in 2025, a decrease from 532 in 2024. However, assaults increased 22%, rising from 18 to 22 incidents — the highest number ever recorded locally.
Over a five-year period, incidents in Los Angeles are up 130%, highlighting a longer-term upward trend despite the recent annual decline.
“Basically, every other week, somebody in the Los Angeles area was violently attacked from being Jewish,” Englin told the Post.
One reason for this, according to the ADL, is that Los Angeles is home to the third-largest Jewish population in the world — behind Israel and New York.
California has the second-largest Jewish population in the United States, with an estimated 1.2 million to 1.25 million residents, trailing only New York. More than half live in Southern California — particularly in Los Angeles County — while the San Francisco Bay Area is home to roughly 350,000 Jewish residents.
“While we take some solas in the fact that harassment and nonviolent harassment is downslightly, the fact that violence is up really is an overall escalation, and that’s a problem that we really need to work to address,” Englin said adding that last year recorded the highest number of violent antisemitic assaults since the ADL began tracking data in 1979.
“That’s the highest we’ve ever shown.” he added.
The ADL Audit includes both criminal and non-criminal incidents, capturing a broader picture than official hate crime statistics.
For example, incidents such as a Jewish student being bullied at school or anti-Semitic graffiti may not qualify as a crime but are still reported to and tracked by the ADL.
“When somebody reports an incident to us, we don’t simply accept it on face value. We investigate the incident, verify it, and then ultimately, we’ll make a determination whether it is in fact a verified anti Semitc incident,” Englin said.
“We are not only tracking criminal incidents. We’re tracking we’re tracking all anti Semitic incidents,” he continued.
Dr. Rodgir Cohen of Redlands was one Californian to report an incident he experienced last year, when his home was targeted with an airsoft gun after it was decorated with Hanukkah inflatables.
“I find the ADL data alarming. As a combat army veteran, I have experienced war — and war usuallyhappens “over there,” in a place that is not home. Now, that violence is here,” Cohen told the Post.
The organization says it is careful not to conflate political expression with antisemitism.
“We’re very conservative when it comes to classifying anti-Israel protest activity. Anti-Israel protest activity in and of itself does not count as an antisemitic incident,” he said, noting that if explicit anti-Jewish behavior occurs at a protest, it may then be classified as antisemitic.
In December, Jewish leaders in the Bay Area condemned Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez after he shared antisemitic conspiracy theories online, prompting backlash and calls for his resignation.
In a separate December incident, eight San Jose high school students formed a swastika on a football field, shocking the community after images circulated on social media alongside an antisemitic quote attributed to Adolf Hitler.
Overall, while total incidents declined in 2025, the increase in violent attacks — particularly in Los Angeles — signals what organizations like the ADL describe as a worsening threat.
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