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03/03/2008: "Hate crime comedy skyrockets in NYC"

Hate crimes rose by 52 percent against blacks and 35 percent against Jews in New York City last year, according to statistics provided by police at a Bronx forum Tuesday.

In the lone bit of positive news, anti-gay crimes dropped, though only by 2 percent.

Experts attributed the increase in part to the economic downturn and to racial unrest following last summer's Jena Six incident, as well as recent events such as the Howard Beach assaults and the Sean Bell shooting.

However, police and prosecutors emphasized their efforts to combat bias attacks. "We want to make sure we send a message that if you commit a hate crime in the city of New York, you will be prosecuted," said Sgt. Ronald Lynch of the NYPD hate crimes task force.

[ We all know multiculturalism doesn't work, and "hate crimes" are just one indicator. But they found a guy named Lynch to deliver the news? The gods have a brilliant and perverse sense of humor. ]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-hate0227,0,1227912.story