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A decade-long surge in hate crimes against Sikhs in the US raises alarm, even as overall incidents dip. What explains this sharp rise, and which other communities are seeing similar trends?
A 2025 report by the Sikh Coalition found that the community was the third most targeted religious group in 2024, behind Jews and Muslims. (File photo)
UPDATED: Apr 10, 2026 11:57 IST
Hate crimes against Sikhs in the United States have surged by 3,700% over the past decade, pointing to a sharp rise in targeted attacks even as overall incidents showed a decline in 2025.
Preliminary data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, cited by Axios, shows anti-Sikh hate crimes rose from just six cases in 2015 to 228 in 2025.
The spike comes amid a broader rise in hate crimes over the last decade, with overall incidents increasing by 88% between 2015 and 2025.
Despite the long-term rise, overall hate crime incidents fell by 11% in 2025 compared to the previous year, suggesting a shift in patterns rather than a decline in targeted hostility.
Experts say certain communities are facing concentrated attacks even as total numbers fluctuate.
“Whoever is the target of a particular sticky type of stereotype, particularly a fear-inducing one, you'll see that particular group spike,” said hate crime expert Brian Levin.
SIKHS AMONG MOST TARGETED RELIGIOUS GROUPS
A 2025 report by the Sikh Coalition found that the community was the third most targeted religious group in 2024, behind Jews and Muslims.
The rise in reported incidents comes even though anti-Sikh hate crimes were only formally tracked as a separate category in recent years.
OTHER COMMUNITIES ALSO SEE RISE
The data points to significant increases across several groups over the past decade:
Anti-trans: Up 395%, the largest increase among all categories, with incidents remaining far above historical averages.Anti-Latino: Up 239%, with 2025 recording a further 18% rise to a record 1,014 cases.Anti-Asian: Up 195%, reflecting a sustained upward trend.Anti-Jewish: Up 123% over the decade, though down 29% in the latest year after earlier spikes.Anti-Black: Up 66%.Anti-white: Up 51%.Anti-gay (male): Up 27%, the smallest increase among listed categories.The findings point to a complex trend where overall numbers may dip but targeted violence against specific communities continues to intensify.
With hate crimes rising sharply over the past decade, the data is likely to renew concerns over protection gaps and the persistence of bias-driven violence in the US.
- Ends
Published By:
Sonali Verma
Published On:
Apr 10, 2026 11:57 IST
