Police data include information taken from the police database (SDI) and information gathered by the Observatory for Security against Acts of Discrimination (OSCAD). The breakdown below consists of: (i) SDI data covering the following bias motivations: "race"/skin colour; ethnicity; nationality; language; anti-Semitism; bias against Roma and Sinti; bias against Muslims; anti-Christian bias, and bias against members of other religions; and (ii) OSCAD data on hate crimes motivated by bias against "sexual orientation and transgender identity" and bias against disability. Due to the separate recording systems used by the police and by OSCAD, the data registered by OSCAD might not be present in the police database (SDI).
In 2024, OSCAD signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with civil society organizations. The MoU with the Italian National Olympic Committee – CONI is a 2-year agreement focused on, i.e., monitoring incidents to implement interventions to prevent all forms of abuse, violence, and discrimination for persons with disability in sport. The goal of the MoU and the Gay Center Association is to support victims of homophobic hate crimes, deliver training and awareness-raising activities, and monitor cases reported to the OSCAD.
Within the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Technical Working Group for updating the National Strategy on combating Anti-Semitism was established by Decree S.G.P.C.M. of 4 September 2024, with the task of assisting the National Anti-Semitism Coordinator. The working group includes OSCAD and representatives of Jewish associations (UCEI, UGEI, CDEC, IHRA), public administration, and academics. On 21 February 2025, the new strategy was published and includes 5 strategic lines of action and 22 objectives to be achieved through 68 instrumental actions.
From January 2020 onwards, conferences on "Hate victims" have been held across the country. In 2024, the seminars were held in Matera, Milano, Mantova, Modena, and Catanzaro. These conferences are an occasion for reflection on promoting the culture of inclusion and combating all forms of racism and consist of a number of panels focusing on a specific ground of discrimination: race-ethnicity, religious faith, sexual orientation, and disability. Each panel includes contributions from experts at the international level as well as excerpts of videos and accounts of victims' own experiences.
This category includes crimes registered in the SDI database and committed on the grounds of "race"/skin colour, ethnicity, bias against Roma and Sinti, nationality, language, anti-Semitism, bias against Muslims, bias against Christians and bias against members of other religions.
This information is based on reports received by the Observatory for Security against Acts of Discrimination (OSCAD). Incidents included in the categories of sexual orientation (95) and gender identity (11) were reported to ODIHR separately but are presented together here.
This information is based on reports received by the Observatory for Security against Acts of Discrimination (OSCAD) and included in the SDI database.
ODIHR recognizes Italy’s efforts to report its hate crime information and data to ODIHR. However, based on the available information, it observes that since 2018, Italy has not reported data on hate crimes recorded by the prosecution and judiciary. In addition, ODIHR observes that Italy would benefit from reviewing its existing legal framework in order to ensure that bias motivations can be effectively acknowledged, and appropriate penalties can be imposed on the perpetrators.
ODIHR recalls that in Ministerial Council Decision 9/09, OSCE participating States committed to collecting reliable data and statistics in sufficient detail on hate crimes and to reporting such crimes periodically to ODIHR. Participating States also committed to enacting specific, tailored legislation to combat hate crimes, providing for effective penalties that take into account the gravity of such crimes. ODIHR stands ready to support Italy in meeting its relevant commitments through the provision of comprehensive resources and tailored assistance in the area of hate crime recording and data collection, as well as by providing further resources and tailored legislative advice.
For 2024, ODIHR received reports of hate incidents in Italy from the following civil society organizations:
- Gay Center/Gay Helpline
- Lunaria
- Observatory on Anti-Semitism
- International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF)
- European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses
- The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC)
- Intercommunity Coordination Against Antisemitism and Defamation (CICAD)
- European Center of Democracy Development (ECDD)
- Trans Europe and Central Asia (TEGU)
To learn more about these organizations, visit the Contributors page.
In addition, ODIHR also received reports of incidents recorded by the Holy See as part of their ongoing monitoring across the OSCE region.
All incidents submitted by the above organizations have been analysed by ODIHR. Those that are broadly considered to be hate crimes within the OSCE definition (criminal offence committed with a bias motive) are listed in the tables below according to the bias motivation category. Some incidents involved multiple biases and may be listed in multiple categories.
ODIHR’s insightsFor 2024, ODIHR received reports of 253 incidents that took place in Italy in the following bias motivation categories: anti-Christian, anti-LGBTI, anti-Muslim, and anti-Semitic. In addition, several incidents involved multiple biases, such as anti-LGBTI and gender-based, racist and xenophobic and anti-Semitic, and racist and xenophobic and anti-LGBTI. ODIHR observes that in the anti-Semitic incidents reported, Rabbis, Jewish journalists and Jewish organizations were targeted with anti-Semitic threats and harassing behaviour; some of the incidents took place online. Visibly Jewish people (e.g., wearing a Star of David necklace) were targeted in physical assaults. Several incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism contained references to the conflict in the Middle East. ODIHR also noted that the majority of anti-Christian incidents reported concerned damage to property, including theft, vandalism and desecration; however, a couple of serious assaults targeting Catholic priests were also noted. Several of the anti-LGBTI incidents reported were perpetrated by family members of the victims. Incidents involving both gender-based and anti-LGBTI bias targeted trans people, mainly in violent physical assaults. Of the racist and xenophobic incidents reported, many were physical assaults targeting people due to their skin colour that took place in public. In one notable incident, a group of approximately 100 men kicked down the entrance door to an asylum centre and physically assaulted 18 young men living there. Several food delivery drivers were also targeted in racist incidents. Two incidents of vandalism included anti-Semitic, anti-Roma, and transphobic graffiti. It should be noted that ODIHR received a low level of reporting on anti-Muslim incidents and did not receive any reporting on anti-Roma or disability hate incidents in Italy. This indicates potential gaps in the information reported here. |
Please note that incidents reported here are based on voluntary civil society submissions and as such might not reflect the actual number of incidents or the most targeted communities in Italy.
To address under-reporting, ODIHR encourages any civil society organizations or groups that monitor hate incidents in Italy to report to ODIHR at hatecrimereport@odihr.pl.
To export an Excel sheet with summaries of all incidents from Italy click here and search by year and country.