ALBUQUERQUE – A civil rights group says harassment, vandalism and assaults against Jewish people and institutions have increased for a third straight year in New Mexico.
The Anti-Defamation League released figures Tuesday showing there were 15 reported anti-Semitic incidents in the state in 2017, up 37 percent from 2016. In 2017, New Mexico had six instances of vandalism, and nine cases of harassment and threats.
The count included two bomb threats received at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque, swastika graffiti found in a Los Alamos National Laboratory bathroom, and a report that a wedding vendor sent anti-Semitic messages to a potential client.
Nationwide, the group found a 57 percent increase in reported anti-Semitic incidents – the biggest jump in more than two decades. There were 1,986 total reported incidents in 2017.
