Antisemitic incidents declined in Ohio, but violence persists
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The number of anti-Jewish incidents across the country and statewide declined last year, but violence against Jewish people remains a problem.
Why it matters: Physical assaults against Jews in the U.S. last year reached the highest levels since 1979, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) announced Wednesday.
- That includes two physical assaults reported in Ohio in 2025, compared to none in 2024.
By the numbers: The organization counted 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025, down 33% from 2024, but still the third-highest year on record.
- Last year saw 203 anti-Jewish assaults, up from 196 in 2024 — 32 of those assaults involved deadly weapons, up from 23 in 2024.
How it works: The ADL's annual audit not only tracks assaults, but also incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, distribution of propaganda and terrorist plots.
- The ADL has faced criticism for including campus protests against Israel's actions in Gaza as part of its tally, but the group says it only counts protests if it sees clear evidence of antisemitism, like stereotypes.
Zoom in: Overall antisemitic incidents decreased nearly 50% in Ohio, from 233 in 2024 to 117 in 2025.
- More than 40 incidents occurred in Northeast Ohio in 2025, including eight in the city of Cleveland (down from 37 in 2024), per the ADL.
One of the more high-profile incidents happened last June when an Ohio man allegedly threatened Rep. Max Miller (R-Bay Village) with antisemitic slurs while driving on Interstate 90 in Rocky River.
- Feras Hamdan pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in February and filed a defamation lawsuit against Miller.
What they're saying: "When the tide goes out … what's left is the stuff that is too heavy to wash away," Oren Segal, ADL senior vice president for counter-extremism and intelligence, tells Axios on the mixed bag the ADL's survey showed.
- Segal said the decline in overall incidents shouldn't be mistaken for progress, with antisemitism still "normalized in our public discussion and social media" and remaining at historically high levels.
The bottom line: "Jews in this country are still being harassed, assaulted and targeted an average of 17 times a day," he says. "That is not a sign of deep progress."