Complaints of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian discrimination and hate in the U.S. rose significantly, increasing by 178% in the three months following October 7, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
This surge in reported incidents occurred after the conflict initiated by Hamas’ attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza. CAIR documented a total of 3,578 complaints in the last quarter of 2023, highlighting a concerning escalation in Islamophobia and bias against Palestinians.
Various incidents contributed to this rise, including a shooting in Vermont where three students of Palestinian descent were shot and the tragic stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian American child in Illinois.
The reported cases covered a range of discriminatory actions, with 662 instances of employment discrimination, 472 reported hate crimes and hate incidents, and 448 cases of discrimination in educational settings.
This alarming increase in complaints parallels a broader trend of growing discrimination, not only against Muslims but also against Palestinians in the aftermath of the Middle East conflict. The rise in reported incidents underscores the urgent need for addressing and combating hatred and bias within the U.S.
