In the news: The Denver Post Colorado Daily Rocky Mountain News The Gazette
Despite a national trend of decreasing reported anti-Semitic incidents for the third consecutive year, the number of anti-Jewish incidents in Colorado increased for the first time in three years, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s 2007 annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents.
Colorado ranks eighth for the most anti-Semitic incidents among the 40 states and the District of Columbia audited. Thirty Colorado incidents were reported to ADL’s Mountain States Regional Office in Denver and to its Boulder Satellite Office. Sixteen were acts of harassment, an increase of 4 from 2006, and 12 were acts of vandalism, an increase of 1 from 2006. Two were acts of both harassment and vandalism. In 2006, a total of 22 anti-Jewish incidents were reported in Colorado and 1 incident was reported in Wyoming. No anti-Semitic incidents were reported in Wyoming in 2007.
Nationally, a total of 1,357 anti-Semitic incidents were reported across the United States in 2007, representing a 13 percent decline from the 1,554 reported in 2006.
“ADL finds it worrisome to see an increase in such ugly, hateful, anti-Semitic acts in Colorado,” ADL’s Mountain States Regional Director Bruce H. DeBoskey said. “This data reminds us that there is still much work to be done before our state becomes no place for hate.
“It is very important that citizens continue to report bias-motivated incidents to both law enforcement agencies and to ADL. We need the public’s help so together we can continue to shine the light on bigots in our communities.”
Anti-Semitic incidents reported to ADL in 2007 included acts of vandalism to public and private property, and acts of harassment in the workplace, neighborhood and school. This includes the October assault of a Jewish man in Boulder by two men who were charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault and a bias-motivated crime, a felony.
Of the total number of incidents reported in the Mountain States Region in 2007:
● 1 was committed against a synagogue ● 9 were committed against individuals ● 4 were committed against public property ● 7 were committed against Jewish institutions ● 2 were committed against public institutions
Similar to the national trend, the swastika was the symbol of choice in 7 of Colorado’s anti-Semitic incidents, appearing:
● On the main sign of a private Jewish day school ● In the bathroom of a public high school ● On the front door of a Jewish family’s home ● On the storage building of a church ● On a public overpass
In addition to these incidents, the following 2 incidents took place at public schools:
● A threat to bomb a public high school during its Holocaust remembrance program ● A threat against a Jewish teacher
The following 2 incidents happened at public universities:
● A Jewish student’s white board was vandalized after she wrote her Hebrew name on it ● A Jewish student was called a “Dirty Jew” by her roommate and was told “[I want to] kill all Jews”
The 2007 ADL Audit comprises data from 40 states and the District of Columbia, including official crime statistics as well as information provided to ADL’s regional offices by victims, law enforcement officers and community leaders. The Audit identifies both criminal acts, such as vandalism, violence and threats of violence; and non-criminal incidents of harassment and intimidation, including hate propaganda leafleting and verbal slurs. This information assists ADL in developing and enhancing its programs to counter and prevent the spread of anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry.
EDITORS NOTE: Photos and additional information from the Audit, including state-by-state totals, are available online at www.ADL.org.