(CNN) Hate crimes in the United States have increased to a point not seen in recent history, according to a new statistical report released Monday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Thousands of hate crimes -- 6,121 -- were reported to the FBI in 2016, the report found. That's up from 5,850 reported hate crime incidents in 2015. The figures are based on over 1,500 incident reports from law enforcement agencies around the country. Other than the increase in 2016, the number of hate crimes found each year by the FBI has decreased since the agency started collecting data in 1992. There were 8,759 hate crimes reported by the FBI in 1996, for instance, although more police departments took part in that survey.

The rise in 2016 reported by the FBI comes after observers have pointed to an increase in hate crimes and conversations about racial animus and hate speech have been central to political conversations nationwide.

The FBI's report puts more statistical weight behind the argument that the 2016 election coincided with an increase in hate crimes, including by those purporting to be supporters of President Donald Trump.

In the days after the November 2016 election, an increase in racist slogans and hateful messages was reported, especially in schools. The Southern Poverty Law Center found 867 cases of hateful harassment or intimidation in the 10 days after the Nov. 8 election