Threats and violence against Muslim Americans
Agencies reported 205 anti-Muslim hate crime incidents in 2025. Low counts mislead: in May 2026 two attackers killed three people at the Islamic Center of San Diego, a reminder that one threat carried out outweighs a year of statistics.
What you need to know
- 205 anti-Islamic (Muslim) incidents were reported to the FBI in 2025, down from 261 in 2024.
- On May 18, 2026, two teenage gunmen killed three people, including a security guard, at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Police investigated it as a hate crime.
- Online, anti-Muslim attackers borrow crusader imagery and celebrate the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooter.
- Friday prayers and Ramadan put the most people in known places at known times.
The official count
| Bias type | Category | 2025 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Islamic (Muslim) | Religion | 205 | 261 | -56 |
Counts are incidents reported by agencies that file with the FBI. A lower number can mean fewer agencies reported, not less hate. See every bias type.
Attacks that define the threat
- Feb. 10, 2015 · Chapel Hill, N.C.
Three young Muslim Americans were shot dead in their home by a neighbor.
- Oct. 14, 2023 · Plainfield Township, Ill.
A landlord stabbed 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume to death and wounded his mother. He was convicted of murder and hate crimes.
- May 18, 2026 · San Diego, Calif.
Two teenage gunmen killed three people, a security guard and two community members, at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Both attackers died.
Terms and signals
Analysts and officers see these in posts, comments and channels. Knowing them lets you read a threat for what it is.
- Deus Vult
- "God wills it." A crusader slogan. On its own it can be religious; aimed at a mosque or Muslims it is a call to violence.
- "Remove kebab"
- A meme from a Serbian genocide-era song, played by the Christchurch shooter.
- Christchurch references
- Praise for the 2019 New Zealand mosque shooter, sharing his manifesto or video, or calling him a saint.
- Livestream and "crusade" talk
- Talk of streaming an attack on a mosque, or framing violence as a holy war.
A term alone is not a threat. Hateful speech is often legal. NCTIC scores escalation: a specific target, a means, a time, and signs of planning or goodbye messages.
From talk to attack
Calendar. Friday prayers, Ramadan nights and Eid gatherings are predictable. Threats that mention them need faster review.
Spillover. Spikes follow terrorist attacks abroad and Middle East news. Blaming local Muslims for a foreign event is a known precursor.
Young attackers. The San Diego attackers were teenagers. Online radicalization of minors moves fast and is often visible to peers first.
Report a threat
- Call 911 for anything imminent. Report threats to local police and the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
- Mosques can request free security assessments from CISA and their state homeland security office.
- Save the post, link and account. Do not engage.
- Send threats you find to NCTIC at pesach@lattin.us or 505-932-9060. We route each one to the agency with jurisdiction.
Frequently asked
How many anti-Muslim hate crimes were reported in 2025?
Agencies reported 205 anti-Islamic (Muslim) hate crime incidents to the FBI for 2025, down from 261 in 2024. Advocacy groups say many incidents never reach police.
What happened at the Islamic Center of San Diego?
On May 18, 2026, two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont, killing three people including a security guard. Police investigated it as a hate crime.
What does Deus Vult mean in threats against Muslims?
It is a medieval crusader slogan meaning "God wills it." Extremists use it to cast violence against Muslims as holy war. Context decides whether it is a threat.
Who studies this
NCTIC's analysis draws on official data and the work of these organizations. Listing them does not mean they endorse NCTIC.
Tracks anti-Muslim incidents and civil rights complaints.
Policy and community safety work.
Research on Islamophobia.
How we put this together. Hate crime counts are incidents reported by law enforcement agencies to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program for 2025, released Aug. 14, 2026, as tabulated by the Arab American Institute; 2024 comparisons use the FBI's updated Crime Data Explorer figures. These counts cover only agencies that report and only incidents that reach police, so they understate the problem, and year-to-year changes partly reflect which agencies filed. Attack summaries draw on court records and news reporting cited below. Watch terms come from NCTIC analysis and public research such as the ADL Hate Symbols database. NCTIC products are analysis and can be wrong.
NCTIC is an independent nonprofit, non-governmental organization. It is not a government agency, does not act under government authority, and does not make or enforce laws.
We take no position on immigration or other policy questions and do not blame threats on any group. Our anchor is simple: the law says no violence against people, whoever they are.