Hate or discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, or anything else is not tolerated in NYC.
If you or someone you know has been physically harassed or assaulted because of your identity— including your race, ethnicity, or religion—please call 911.
HATE CRIMES IN NEW YORK:
According to New York State law, there must be an underlying crime in order for an incident to be classified as a hate crime. That means authorities must first determine there was a crime committed. If it’s determined that the crime was motivated by bias, then hate crime charges may be added to the original charge.
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hate crimes impact victims on a much deeper and emotional level, and the impact is wider—creating fear and community unrest with those who share the victim’s characteristics. There are many types of underlying crimes that, when combined with biased intent, can be considered hate crimes, including physical assault, verbal threats, robberies and burglaries, and property damage such as graffiti.
EXAMPLES OF HATE CRIMES:
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A passenger on the train says, “I hate gays,” and threatens to beat a same-sex couple holding hands.
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A group of teenagers spray paint a swastika on a building or hang a noose from a tree.
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A passerby spits in someone’s face and yells, “You Asians are spreading the Coronavirus!”
WHAT ARE BIAS INCIDENTS?
You can still be victimized by bias and hate if there is no underlying crime. A bias incident is when someone verbally harasses or discriminates against you based on your identity, but the incident does not involve a physical attack, a threat of attack, or property damage.
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Bias incidents are taken seriously as examples of discrimination, but they are not necessarily crimes. Some bias incidents may be protected by free speech provisions of the Constitution. Others may give rise to civil penalties in New York City under the NYC Human Rights law, which is administered by the NYC Commission on Human Rights.
EXAMPLES OF BIAS INCIDENTS:
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Someone walks by a Latinx person on the street and yells, “I hate Mexicans,” and, “Go back to your own country!”
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A group of teenagers call a Black teenager the “N” word.
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A restaurant owner tells a customer in a turban, “Muslims are not welcome here”.
DISCRIMINATION OR HARASSMENT
If you or someone you know has been harassed or discriminated against by a business, employer, or landlord because of your identity—please call 311 and say, “human rights.”
NEED IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE?
All New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, can call the ActionNYC hotline for free, safe immigration legal help. Call the ActionNYC hotline at 1-800-354-0365, or call 311 and say, “ActionNYC.”
We are here to help.