US and Western countries see rise in faith-based hate crimes

Across the US and other Western countries, Muslim and Jewish communities are reporting a rise in faith-based attacks. Experts point to political polarisation, online extremism and tensions linked to the war in Gaza as key drivers. In the US, the Council on American-Islamic Relations logged more than 8,600 complaints of anti-Muslim incidents in 2025 — the highest number of single-year complaints in three decades. Kate Fisher reports from Washington DC.