New York State establishes hotline to report hate, discrimination

New York State has set up a hotline to report hate and discrimination, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday.

Hochul said the hotline will give New Yorkers a way to report bias incidents to the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit within the state Department of Human Rights. In a news release, the governor’s office said that Jewish, Arab, Muslim and other communities face prejudice and violence as the war in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories escalates.

“Hate is a cowardly thing, and no New Yorker should have to endure the discrimination it fuels,” Hochul said in a news release. “It is crucial to stop any form of hate as soon as it emerges so that it has no opportunity to grow into a force that leads to the loss of life.”

People who experience or witness hate and bias incidents can report it by calling 844-NO-2-HATE or filling out an online form at forms.ny.gov/s3/DHR-Bias-Incident-Form. The hotline is not a substitute for 911 which is for emergencies.

Other hotlines have been established recently to deal with hate incidents. Earlier this month the LGBT Network announced a new hotline for the LGBTQ community on Long Island and in New York City to report hate crimes. That number is 888-542-8457. In August, Suffolk County announced that 311 would take reports of antisemitic incidents as an addition to its hotline for reporting hate crimes, 631-852-HATE. In Nassau County, hate crimes can be reported by calling 516- 573-7360.