Americans believe in increasing numbers that there has been an increase in hate crimes across the country and many think that antisemitism is becoming a serious problem. Few adults agree with the extreme statements that say things such as “The Holocaust is a myth”, but those who do believe it are likely to be under the age of 30.
In a new poll by the Economist/YouGov, a majority of Americans say crimes motivated by hatred (homophobic, anti-ethnic, anti-religious, and racist) have happened more in the last year than they did a decade ago. 33% say they are at “much higher” rates, 30% say they’re “somewhat higher”. 18% say they are “about the same” and only 7% say hate crimes are either “much lower” or “Somewhat lower”.
Americans are very likely to say that hate crimes against Jewish, Black, and Muslim people are serious problems. Nearly two-thirds (65%) say that hate crimes against Jewish people in the United States are a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem, with 62% saying the same about hate crimes against Black people, and 59% about hate crimes against Muslims. Fewer will say the same about hate crimes against Christians (37%) or white people (32%).
There is a political divide about which groups face more serious problems with hate crimes. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say hate crimes against Black, Muslim and Arab people are serious problems in the United States. Republicans will be more likely than Democrats to say hate crimes against Christians and White People are serious.
The exception to the divide is anti-Jewish hate crimes. 68% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans will say that hate crimes against Jewish people are a very or somewhat serious issue. The latest survey had more Americans saying that antisemitism is a very or somewhat serous problem than said the same in an Economist/YouGov survey four years ago.
63% see antisemitism as a very or somewhat serious problem. Four years ago the figure was nine points lower. The perception of antisemitism as a serious problem jumped for Republicans from 52% in 2019 to 64% today. Antisemitism is considered a serious problem more by older Americans. While it is true that majorities of all age groups say antisemitism is a very or somewhat serious problem today, that number ranges from 60% of people under 30 to 77% among people 65 and older.
More than half of Americans (67%) agree that Holocaust denial is antisemitic. Fewer feel that way about other items they were asked about. One-third label boycotts of Israeli good and universities antisemitic. One in five believe opposing Israeli treatment of Palestinians is antisemitic. Republicans are more willing to say that boycotting Israeli products is antisemitic, 52% of Republicans say it is, compared to 24% of Democrats. One-third of Americans overall say that believing American Jews are more loyal to Israel than they are to the United States is antisemitic.
Only 7% of American adults say they believe the Holocaust is a myth, though another 16% say they neither agree nor disagree. 77% strongly or tend to disagree with the statement. Americans who don’t believe the holocaust happened include a significant number of young adults. 20% of people under 30 strongly agree or tend to agree that the Holocaust is a myth, compared to fewer than 1% of people 65 and older.
While few deny the Holocaust outright, larger shares agree with certain negative statements about Israel: “the interests of Israel are at odds with the interests of the rest of the world” (18%), “Israel has too much control over global affairs” (19%), “Israel exploits Holocaust victimhood for its own purposes” (20%). More (27%) agreee that “Israel is deliberately trying to wipe out the Palestinian population”. These negative assessments of Israel are more likely to be held by Democrats and young adults than by Republicans and older Americans. This is in line with other polling about political and age differences in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Under 30 Americans are more likely to agree with the statement “Jews have too much power in America”, 28% say they strongly or tend to agree with it. That is nearly twice the amount of Americans overall who agree (16%). The poll notes that the level of agreement with nearly all the statements that could be interpreted as antisemitic or anti-Israel hasn’t changed much since the 2019 poll.