12% increase in hate crimes reported in 2023, gardaí say

In all, 548 hate crimes were reported to gardaí last year and 103 hate related (non-crime) incidents

A hate crime is classified as any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to, in whole or in part, be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender. File picture

There were a total 651 hate crimes and hate related non-crime incidents reported to gardaí in 2023, a 12% increase on the total reported in 2022.

According to new statistics published by An Garda Síochána on Wednesday, 548 hate crimes were reported to the force last year. 

Some 103 hate related (non-crime) incidents were also reported.

A hate crime is classified as any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to, in whole or in part, be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender. 

Hate related non-crime incidents relate to incidents motivated by the same factors, but where no crime is committed. 

Gardaí say the 651 incidents reported last year involved all nine of these discriminatory motives. 

Some 36% of of the incidents involved a racial motive, while 18% involved an anti-nationality motive. 

Some 16% involved an anti-sexual orientation motive. Some incidents also involved more than one discriminatory motive.

Hate motives were also evident in a variety of reported crimes committed in 2023, gardaí say, with the largest percentage being recorded in public order (27%), minor assaults (16%), criminal damage not by fire (9%) and criminal damage by fire (3%).

As in 2022, the majority of hate related incidents (44%) occurred in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. 

Some 21% took place in the north-western region, 19% took place in the southern region, and 16% took place in the eastern region.

Alongside a statistical breakdown of these incidents, gardaí also provided some case studies.

In one incident, a man walking in Dublin was verbally abused with homophobic slurs before being assaulted by a group. 

Cases are before the courts. Picture: iStock

Charges related to this incident are currently pending before the Circuit Court.

Another incident saw a person working in a post office in the northwest contact gardaí to report that a male was racially abusing a member of staff. 

This male, who is aged in his 30s, has since been convicted in the District Court and received a two-month suspended sentence.

An incident reported to gardaí in the south of the country saw a male victim threatened with a knife and verbally abused with homophobic slurs.

The perpetrator, a man in his 40s, was later convicted and sentenced to 14 days imprisonment.

In another incident in the northwest, one of a large group of youths gathered at a public area was observed shouting racial slurs towards another member of the public. 

This young person was later identified by gardaí and referred to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme.

Other incidents reported included:

• A couple walking through a town in the northwest region being subjected to racial abuse by a male in his 30s. He was arrested and later convicted at District Court where he received a €350 fine.
• A woman being verbally abusive towards a security guard working in a supermarket in the southeast of the country. She also spat at him. The woman, aged in her 30s was convicted by the District Court and fined €100.
• And a woman in the northwest region reported being verbally abused by another female in relation to her clothing. Gardaí identified the woman (70s) and she received an adult caution.

"These figures indicate a further increase in the reporting of hate crime in Ireland during 2023. 

In one sense it is positive that victims are coming forward and speaking with An Garda Síochána about their experience of a crime motivated by hate, but it is disappointing that incidents of this nature occur at all,” said Garda Chief Superintendent for community engagement, Padraic Jones.

"Being targeted because of a characteristic has an enormous and often life-altering impact on a victim, and as a society we must continue to reject hate and discrimination. 

"Everyone has a right to live safely.” 

Chief Supt thanked those who support people of all ages and backgrounds who could be vulnerable to this crime, specifically those working in community-based groups, in schools, clubs and the voluntary sector who “consistently demonstrate to people to live without prejudice toward one another”.

He also encouraged anyone that has experienced or observed prejudice to “please come forward and report those incidents to us”.

"I can assure you that we will deal with it professionally and provide our support in any way we can,” he added.