Report shows hate bias incidents declined slightly Maryland

Hate bias incidents declined slightly in the state of Maryland in 2025, according to a new report from the Maryland State Police in partnership with the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center.

State law enforcement agencies reported 884 hate bias incidents last year, a 4.3% decrease from 2024. Of those incidents, 303 were verified after investigation. Over the past decade, officials recorded the highest number of reported hate bias incidents in 2023 at 952.

The Maryland Office of the Attorney General defines a hate bias incident as “any act or expression of hostility or aggression, motivated by bias against a protected class (race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, national origin, or homelessness) but does not constitute a crime under State or federal law. It is an act that is lawful but harmful and offensive to the victim.

”According to the report, the most common types of incidents were verbal intimidation and vandalism or malicious destruction of property. Schools, homes and public roadways were the most common locations.

Read more: Maryland Matters