A new LA County Report on Hate Crimes finds that Los Angeles, long considered a gay haven, saw anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes surge to record-high levels in 2024. The county logged 1,355 reported hate crimes last year, marking historic highs across multiple communities — including African Americans, Jewish people, Latino/as, LGBTQ+ individuals, Middle Easterners, Muslims, Scientologists, and women. LACCHR Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said, “Each of these numbers represents a person whose dignity was violated and whose community feels that harm…This year’s report makes clear that hate isn’t slowing — it’s evolving and appearing in the daily lives of far too many Angelenos. As a County, we will not accept this as our new normal.”
The spike was especially stark for transgender and nonbinary residents. Trans people faced 102 reported hate crimes, the highest since tracking began in 1980, and 95 percent were violent. Crimes targeting nonbinary people rose 275 percent, from four cases to 15. A separate statewide study found 59 percent of trans Californians recently experienced violence or harassment. Horvath assured, “We are strengthening our partnerships… to confront hate early, directly, and with compassion…We will not rest until that is true for everyone.”
