- Increasing hate crime - high coverage rate
The total number of hate crimes in Bavaria has significantly increased over the past years. From 2019 to 2023, the police recorded an increase of around 84%. This is revealed in a situation report that Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, Social Affairs Minister Ulrike Scharf, and Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich (all CSU) will present today in Munich. The Bavarian state government has been actively fighting this crime phenomenon, both online and offline, for years.
In total, the statistics for the reporting year 2023 show 1867 cases of hate crime - in comparison, there were only 1016 in 2019, and 1186 in 2022. As with other crimes, it is assumed that there is a high dark figure for hate crime, as victims may also be deterred from reporting. The majority of these crimes were committed by right-wing extremists, with antisemitism and racism being recurring motives.
Two-thirds of cases were solved
Despite the worrying overall number of cases, the situation report also offers grounds for hope: More than two-thirds of the cases were solved last year, a total of 68.08%. A total of 1372 suspects were identified by the police. The overwhelming majority of suspects were men (1098).
Hate crime refers to politically motivated crimes in which victims are targeted due to their nationality, ethnic affiliation, skin color, religion, or worldview. The definition also includes crimes that target the social status of the victim, disabilities, gender, appearance, or sexual orientation.
The Commission has acknowledged the significant increase in hate crimes in Bavaria, as reported by the Bavarian Interior Minister and his colleagues. The Commission has also noted the high solution rate of hate crimes in the past year, with over two-thirds of cases being solved.
