D.C. hate crimes now targeting whites, Hispanics

The percentage of hate crimes being committed against whites and Hispanics in the District is rapidly on the rise, Police Chief Cathy Lanier said Wednesday. Historically, the vast majority of hate crimes in D.C. have been based on sexual orientation, but in the past 18 months those instances have fallen to less than 50 percent of all hate crimes as racially biased crimes have accelerated. In the first half of 2011, 15 crimes (or 39 percent of all hate crimes) were racially motivated, and 14 crimes (or 36 percent of the total) were based on sexual orientation. Just two years ago, 73 percent of all hate crimes — 30 of 41 — were based on sexual orientation.

The new targets, Lanier said, “are largely Hispanic and white residents.”