Edmonton Hate Crimes Rise Despite Overall Drop

0:00It's April 16th, you're listening to Calgary News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Cory with the story. Edmonton saw fewer hate crimes overall last year, dropping to 60 from 83 the year before, and even higher numbers like 94 back in. 2023. But here's the twist. More than 73% of them were violent. A big jump from under 37% in the prior three years. That shift comes as police ramp up training for officers and dispatchers to spot these cases better and route them right. Violent doesn't just mean assaults. It covers threats, shoves, and more. Officials point to rising protests, new laws here and abroad, plus global conflicts as sparks that heat up tensions between clashing groups. The two SLGBTQIA-plus community topped the list of targets with reports still high, despite a div. Black, Arab, and South Asian groups saw upticks too, linked to heated online talk against newcomers to Canada. Hate incidents, not full crimes, but reports to cops,

1:01climbed over 220 last year, up from below 200 before. That's partly good news, showing more trust in reporting, though online hate stays tough since platforms won't always pull down posts even after. Charges stick. Police commissions now pushing advisory groups to tackle under-reporting and wary communities, aiming to get the full picture and keep building that. Bridge.