New FBI data show a sharp increase in hate crimes in the United States based on anti-gay or religious bias. Overall, the number of reported hate crimes increased about two per cent from last year. These same figures show a nearly 11 per cent increase in hate crimes based on sexual orientation, and a nearly nine per cent increase in hate crimes based on religion. The largest category, racially motivated hate crimes, fell less than one per cent.

The increases may be partly due to more law-enforcement agencies reporting hate crimes data to the FBI: 2,145 agencies in 2008, compared with 2,025 agencies the year before.