Croatia reports rise in hate crimes and extremist trends

Croatia has recorded 79 hate crimes in the first nine months of this year, surpassing the 75 incidents reported during the same period last year. According to data presented to the Croatian Parliament, two-thirds of these crimes involving public incitement to violence and hatred occur in online spaces.

During a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and National Minority Rights, it was noted that nationality and race are the dominant motives for these crimes. Ombudsman Tena Šimunović Einwalter emphasized the need to investigate motives from the initial report, particularly to distinguish between simple property crimes and those driven by prejudice against specific groups.

Additional concerns were raised regarding the normalization of hate speech in public spaces and the underreporting of crimes due to victim fear. The discussion also highlighted rising extremism among youth, fueled by social media platforms like TikTok and certain football fan groups, which has led to threats against journalists, writers, and political figures.