The New York Police Department (NYPD) has seen a shocking increase in hate crimes this year, especially against the city’s Jewish population.

The NYPD received 176 complaints of hate crimes from Jan. 1 to May 19, an 83 percent increase in all hate crimes compared to the same period in 2018.

The New York City Council created the Office of Hate Crime Prevention in January to handle the growing problem.

They quickly realized that a majority of reported hate crimes are committed against Jews.

“Our residents should feel free to worship without fear–and yet they can’t right now,” City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said. “We have an antisemitism crisis in New York. It’s a national problem, but New York accounts for way too many incidents.”

Antisemitic incidents usually take the form of swastika graffiti, broken property, and property damage. However, some antisemitic attacks involve violence against people. Earlier this month, a Jewish man in Brooklyn was spat on and cursed at while walking down the street.