The unsettling trend of bias incidents is on the rise in Cherry Hill, echoing a statewide surge, as indicated by recently released data. These reported incidents span from criminal acts to various forms of discrimination and are motivated by factors such as race, gender, religion, or other protected characteristics.
Between 2019 and last year, Cherry Hill recorded 154 bias incidents, with 53 cases reported in 2023 alone. This upward trajectory is mirrored across New Jersey, where 2,211 bias incidents were reported in 2023, marking a seventh consecutive annual increase, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
While improved recordkeeping and enhanced community outreach by law enforcement contribute to the reported numbers, the OAG identifies additional factors, including the impact of misinformation on social media, national political divisiveness, and lingering repercussions from the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement protests.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin expressed concern, stating, “Rising numbers of reported bias incidents have been a national trend, and we are not immune. We are committed to doing everything within our power to curb that trend across our state.”
To enhance transparency and awareness, the OAG introduced a Bias Incident Dashboard, providing data on incidents across the state from 2019 to January 2024. The aim is to empower New Jersey communities to combat hate and discrimination collaboratively.
Cherry Hill Data Highlights:
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Annual Increase: The number of bias incidents in Cherry Hill has been steadily rising each year:
- 2019: 11
- 2020: 15
- 2021: 28
- 2022: 47
- 2023: 53
- January 2024: 7
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Most Common Motives:
- Black individuals were the most frequent victims, accounting for nearly 43% of reported bias incidents (69 incidents).
- The Jewish community faced 43 incidents, making up almost 27% of reported offenses.
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Range of Motivations: While anti-Black and antisemitic incidents were prevalent, Cherry Hill reported a diverse range of targeted biases:
- anti-Arab: 2 reported incidents
- anti-Asian: 10
- anti-gay (male): 12
- anti-gender nonconforming: 3
- anti-heterosexual: 1
- anti-Hispanic or Latino: 7
- anti-Islamic (Muslim): 4
- anti-Jewish: 43
- anti-lesbian: 7
- anti-LGBT (mixed group): 5
- anti-male: 1
- anti-mental disability: 2
- anti-multiple races (group): 2
- anti-multiple religions (group): 1
- anti-other race/ethnicity/ancestry: 6
- anti-physical disability: 1
- anti-transgender: 3
- anti-white: 11
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School Incidents: Bias incidents in educational institutions are on the rise statewide and have become the most common setting for reported cases over the past two years. In Cherry Hill, 22 reported bias incidents occurred in K-12 schools since 2019, with anti-Blackness and antisemitism each accounting for eight incidents.
As communities confront this concerning trend, the data aims to foster understanding and collaboration in addressing the complex issue of bias incidents and discrimination.
