The number of recorded "hate crimes" increased significantly last year. According to the Hate Crime Report for 2024, the police registered 6,786 bias-motivated crimes, which is about 20 percent more than in 2023 (5,668). The most common motive was again ideology, with 45 percent more mentions, also showing the strongest increase. This motive was documented 3,935 times in 2024. The clearance rate for hate crimes remained roughly the same at 67 percent.

Numerous Bias Motives

According to the report published by the Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday, a total of 7,614 bias motives were documented, as a crime can have multiple motives. After ideology, the most common motive was national or ethnic origin (1,581 times), followed by religion (763), skin color (417), and sexual orientation (317). The latter was 29 percent less common as a motive in 2024 than in 2023. Among the motives, gender was mentioned 238 times, social status 136 times, disabilities 125 times, and age 102 times.

Among the most common offenses were violations of the Prohibition Act (2,952 motives), followed by property damage (1,396), bodily harm (661), incitement (599), and dangerous threats (506). A total of 1,619 people - 63 percent of them men - were victims of violence-related hate crime. The dominant motive was national or ethnic origin.

Suspects Mostly Male

Among the suspects, compared to the total number of all suspects, minors were more frequently involved, as in previous years. With 86 percent, most of the suspects were also men - this is more than in overall crime (78 percent men). The proportion of foreign nationals among the suspects is comparatively low - in hate crimes, it is 26 percent, while in overall crime it is 47 percent. For example, in three out of five crimes with misogynistic motives, Austrians were suspected.

Relative to the residential population, Salzburg, Vienna, and Carinthia had the most prejudice motives, with the fewest in Burgenland. A quarter of the crimes with prejudice motives took place on the internet - three-quarters of these were violations of the Prohibition Act. Every second racist motive was also recorded online. Among the anti-religious hate postings, two-thirds were anti-Semitic and one-third anti-Muslim.

"The recent cases of the network uncovered in March 2025 also show how quickly incitement can escalate into real violence," warned Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) in a foreword to the report. During a raid, several people were arrested at that time, who allegedly robbed, injured, and humiliated their victims - homosexuals whom they falsely accused of pedophilia. On the other hand, "the effect of the long-standing nationwide training and the systematic investigation and prevention work of the police is becoming visible," said Karner.

Hate Crime Report Still Young

Hate crimes have been recorded separately since 2020, with the annual report available since 2022. Crimes whose police investigations have been completed are included.

(APA/Red)

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