Statewide — The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) released new data on Sept. 18 indicating a continuous demand for support and resources through California (CA) vs Hate, the state’s multilingual statewide hotline and online portal.
In 2024, 1,180 hate incidents were reported to the CA vs Hate telephone and digital resource, CRD revealed. Reports came from 49 counties across California, including all 10 of the state’s most populous counties.
The portal intends to provide a safe and anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of non-emergency hate crimes and hate incidents, as well as a “platform to speak out against hate,” stated Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency.
“Whether it’s to get resources for yourself or to help stand up for a neighbor, your voice matters,” Moss stated. “It is one of the ways our Civil Rights Department fulfills its mission to ensure the rights of all Californians are protected. It shows you are not alone.”
In more than two-thirds of cases reported, the person asked about receiving counseling, legal assistance, or other resources. The hotline provides support in over 200 languages by phone and 15 languages online.
In California, it is considered a hate crime if an individual or group is targeted because of their actual or perceived identity — including nationality and immigration or citizenship status. According to CRD, racial or ethnic bias was mentioned in 44% of reports.
“Hate has no place in California,” stated Gov. Gavin Newsom, responding to the release of the report. “Every person has the right to feel safe in our state. As we continue grappling with increased hate incidents, we will keep working for the health and safety of our communities.”
In a June 2025 report released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), there were 494 reported anti-Black hate crime events in California in 2024, continuing a trend where Black individuals are the most-targeted racial group.
While this figure represents a 4.6% decrease from the 518 events reported in 2023, anti-Black incidents still make up a disproportionately large percentage of all race-based hate crimes in the state.
In 2021, Attorney General Rob Bonta launched the Racial Justice Bureau (Bureau) within the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The Bureau is a part of the state’s efforts to lead the development of strategies to address bias and hate at their roots and to strengthen responses to hate crimes in California.
Bonta started this process by engaging with local city leaders in the state’s biggest cities, organizing roundtable conversations in San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, Long Beach, Santa Ana, San Jose, Stockton, Anaheim, Bakersfield, Fresno, and Irvine.
“Everyone has a part to play as we continue to fight intolerance in California, and I urge leaders up and down the state to review the data and resources available and recommit to standing united against hate,” Bonta stated. “The California Department of Justice remains steadfast in our commitment to continue working with law enforcement, elected leaders, and community organizations across California to keep our communities safe.”
Earlier this year, Gov. Newsom announced $76 million in CA v. Hate grants, made in partnership with the state Legislature, to 347 community groups across the state to protect nonprofits and houses of worship from violence. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) administers the funds.
The majority of the funding targets five regions. They are the Bay Area: South Bay and Central Coast; Border Region: San Diego and Imperial County; Los Angeles County; Northern California /San Joaquin Valley; and Orange County/Inland Empire.
Rosalyn Green is the Black Power-Building and Justice Reinvestment Director for the Monterey County Black Caucus and a member of the Stop the Hate network. She participated in the event in May at the State Capitol to advocate for more funding for the program.
“The funding really does make a difference and suppresses hate activities,” Green told California Black Media (CBM).
The grants are intended to help non-profit entities and faith-based organizations improve their physical security and develop safety plans to prevent hate-motivated violence.
“The NAACP California Hawaii State Conference strongly supports CA vs Hate hotline,” stated Rick L. Callender, NAACP CA/HI State Conference President. “We will continue to stand as a proud supporter of the CA vs Hate hotline resource, as we know our Black and Brown brothers and sisters are disproportionately targeted with hate and discrimination.”
How To Report A Hate Crime:
CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or online at any time.
The caller will speak with a trained civil rights agent in over 200 languages. Outside of the scheduled hours and days of operation, the public can leave a voicemail or call 211 to report a hate incident and seek support from a professional trained in culturally competent communication and trauma-informed practices.
For more information on CA vs Hate, visit CAvsHate.org.
