Hate attacks in O.C. stayed at record-high levels last year, report says

Vanessa Nguyen holds a Stop Asian Hate sign during a candlelight vigil in Garden Grove mourning the victims of the March 2021 Atlanta spa shootings. Hate crimes decreased in Orange County last year, while hate incidents — including hate speech and other nonviolent racial attacks — increased by 14%, according to a report released Thursday. Of the 301 hate incidents and 97 hate crimes tallied in Orange County in 2021, 60% were motivated by a victim’s race, ethnicity or national origin. I’m not surprised that we’re continuing to see these incidents.” Last year in O.C., hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation increased by 83% to a total of 22. “The work we all have to take responsibility for is to make meaning of the information that we share and address the roots of bias-motivated hate so that these trends stop being trends.” The commission collects reports on hate crimes and hate incidents from individuals as well as law enforcement and organizations including the LGBTQ Center OC, Stop AAPI Hate and the Anti-Defamation League.