Antisemitic Incidents Decreased in Ohio While Kentucky Saw an Increase

Antisemitic Incident Data Breaks All Previous Annual Records in 2024 for the Fourth Year in a Row

Cleveland, April 22, 2025 – The Midwest experienced varied trends in antisemitic incidents for 2024, according to ADL’s (the Anti-Defamation League) annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. Ohio specifically recorded 233 antisemitic incidents in 2024, a marginal decline from 238 in 2023. However, Kentucky saw a 23% increase in  antisemitic incidents in 2024 targeting public areas and Jewish institutions, highlighting a concerning pattern of antisemitism in communal spaces.

A rise in both anti-Israel incidents that include antisemitic graffiti or rhetoric and incidents on Ohio college campuses contributed to this year’s figures: anti-Israel incidents rose by 42 percent across the region (from 161 in 2023 to 230 in 2024) and incidents on Ohio college campuses rose by 48 percent (from 33 in 2023 to 49 in 2024). Simultaneously, white supremacist propaganda targeting Jewish communities declined as these groups redirected their focus to LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities.

“The levels of antisemitism we’re seeing across our region should never be accepted and yet have become a persistent reality for Jewish communities,” said Dr. Kelly Fishman, ADL Cleveland Regional Director. “The significant increases in campus-based incidents and anti-Israel activity that contain antisemitic elements are particularly troubling and negatively impact our entire community. We remain committed to working with communities, law enforcement, civic leaders, and educational institutions to combat this hatred and create safe, inclusive environments for all people.”

ADL’s Response and Community Efforts

ADL has responded to these evolving challenges through multiple strategic initiatives. Legal actions against hate groups like Blood Tribe and White Lives Matter are part of ADL’s comprehensive approach to combating extremism. The organization has also developed model municipal ordinances to help local governments address hate incidents more effectively.

Recognizing the interconnected nature of various forms of bias, ADL has engaged in numerous community bridge-building initiatives, including Rekindle (strengthening Black and Jewish relationships), Catholic Jewish Bridgebuilders, and other interfaith and community engagement programs. As hate increasingly targets multiple marginalized communities, ADL emphasizes the importance of education, speaking up and cross-community solidarity.

Major Regional Findings

Kentucky:

• Overall Incidents: 58 incidents in 2024, an increase from 47 in 2023.
• Harassment: 47 incidents in 2024, an increase from 41 in 2023.
• Vandalism: 11 incidents in 2024, an increase from 5 in 2023.
• Anti-Israel Incidents: 30 incidents in 2024, an increase from 18 in 2023.
• Jewish Institution Targeting: 21 incidents in 2024, an increase from 16 in 2023.

Ohio:

• Overall Incidents: 233 total incidents in 2024, compared to 238 in 2023, representing a negligible decline.
• Harassment: 199 incidents in 2024, down from 203 in 2023.
• Vandalism: 34 incidents in 2024, up from 33 in 2023.
• Assaults: No assaults were reported in 2024, down from 2 in 2023.
• Anti-Israel Incidents: 138 incidents in 2024, an increase from 111 in 2023.
• Campus Incidents: 49 incidents on college campuses in 2024, an increase from 33 in 2023.
• Jewish Institution Targeting: 75 incidents in 2024, an increase from 70 in 2023.

West Virginia:

• Overall Incidents: 12 incidents in 2024, a decrease from 15 in 2023.
• Harassment: 9 incidents in 2024, down from a dozen in 2023.
• Vandalism: 3 incidents in 2024, unchanged from 2023.
• Assaults: No assaults were reported in 2024.
• Anti-Israel Incidents: 10 of the 12 incidents were anti-Israel related.
• Campus Incidents: 3 incidents in 2024, up from 1 in 2023.

Notable Trends

In 2024, the region witnessed several concerning trends:

• There was a marked shift in the type of harassment incidents, with an increase in gatherings, parades, and picketing (80 in 2024 compared to 59 in 2023), primarily anti-Israel in nature containing antisemitic rhetoric.
• Antisemitic vandalism associated with anti-Israel activity increased in Ohio (21 in 2024 compared to 14 in 2023).
• Kentucky saw an increase in incidents in public areas (24 in 2024 compared to 10 in 2023), with a spike in June related to an antisemitic letter campaign sent to synagogues.
• White supremacist propaganda distribution decreased across the region; Ohio went from 36 in 2023 to 25 in 2024 and Kentucky went from 12 in 2023 to 9 in 2024.The majority of these incidents were attributed to the Patriot Front, followed by the Goyim Defense League.

”While we’ve seen welcome declines in some categories, the increases in vandalism and targeting of Jewish institutions highlight the continued challenges faced by Jewish communities in our region,” said Dr. Fishman. “And despite white supremacist propaganda using Jewish stereotypes declining, its pervasiveness still strikes an alarming note for all communities resulting in the need for local leaders to adapt their responses.”

This regional data reflects broader national trends. Nationally, ADL recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2024, a 5 percent increase from the 8,873 incidents recorded in 2023, which was itself a historic high. The 12-month total for 2024 averaged more than 25 targeted anti-Jewish incidents in the U.S. per day, more than one an hour.

Methodology

The ADL Audit includes both criminal and non-criminal acts of harassment, vandalism and assault against individuals and groups as reported to ADL by victims, law enforcement, the media and partner organizations and evaluated by ADL’s experts. ADL is careful to not conflate general criticism of Israel or anti-Israel activism with antisemitism. Legitimate political protest, support for Palestinian rights or expressions of opposition to Israeli policies is not included in the Audit. ADL’s approach to Israel-related expressions comports with the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

The complete dataset for antisemitic incidents for 2016-2024 is available on ADL’s H.E.A.T. Map, an interactive online tool that allows users to geographically chart antisemitic incidents and extremist activity. The full dataset can also be downloaded by anyone who would like to take a closer look at individual incidents.

The complete Audit methodology is included in the report.

The Audit offers a snapshot of one of the ways American Jews encounter antisemitism, but a full understanding of antisemitism in the U.S. requires other forms of analysis as well, including public opinion polling, assessments of online antisemitism and examinations of extremist activity, all of which ADL offers in other reports, such as: ADL survey of Antisemitic Attitudes in America 2024; Campus Antisemitism One Year After the Hamas Terrorist Attacks; the ADL Global 100: Index of Antisemitism^®; Online Hate and Harassment: The American Experience and White Supremacist Propaganda Assessment Focused on Jews and Immigrants in 2024.

View more information about the ADL Audit of Antisemitic Incidents.