According to new data released by Washington DC’s Metro Police the number of anti-LGBT hate crimes reported in 2018 have doubled and in some cases  tripled since Donald Trump was elected President in 2016.

Also the number of anti-LGBT hate crimes reported in D.C. in 2018 amounted to nearly half the total number of all hate crimes reported in the city such as those based on a victim’s, ethnicity , race, or religion.

The police data show that most of the cases for each of the past three years in D.C. involved hate crimes against gay men or because of the victim’s sexual orientation. Crimes targeting transgender people also rose but made up fewer cases.

The reported cases based on sexual orientation in the District included 61 in 2018, 56 in 2017, and 20 in 2016.

A recent study by the California State University’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism reported  that hate crimes have increased in many cities across the country over the past two years.  The report says anti-LGBT hate crimes similar to D.C. are most prevalent in many other cities.

Under Washington,  D.C.’s hate crimes law a person found guilty of a “bias related” or hate crime may be fined up to one and a half times the maximum fine and imprisoned for up to one and a half times the maximum prison term for the underlying crime such as assault, murder or other crimes with a hate crime attachment.