Donate Today

Educational Resources

Table of Contents

What Is Anti-Black Hate?

Anti-Black hate refers to actions or language that is targeted to harm Black people based on race, Black identity, or perceived Blackness. It includes words, actions, or systems that dehumanize, or threaten Black communities.

It is rooted in anti-Black racism, shaped by histories of enslavement, colonization, and systemic exclusion.

It can be:

  • Overt (racial slurs, threats, violence)
  • Individual (interpersonal harm)
  • Communal (through hate group)

BLAC Resources

Across Canada, police-reported hate crimes targeting race or ethnicity have been increasing over the past decade. Police differentiate hate crimes from other offences when there is evidence of bias or hate motivation. Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada data shows:

  • Hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity have risen significantly over recent years. Statistics Canada
  • In 2023, police reported hundreds of hate crimes targeting the Black population, the largest count among racialized groups. Statistics Canada
  • These occurrences may not capture all anti-Black hate because many incidents are not reported to police and may appear as hate incidents instead of crimes.

Anti-Black Hate vs. Anti-Black Racism: What’s the Difference?

While connected, Anti-Black racism and Anti-Black hate are not the same.

Anti-Black Racism

Anti-Black racism refers to systemic and institutional practices that disadvantage Black people over time. This includes:

  • Discriminatory policies
  • Unequal access to education, housing, or employment
  • Racial profiling and surveillance
  • Disproportionate discipline in schools or policing

Anti-Black racism is often structural, ongoing, and normalized.

Anti-Black Hate

Anti-Black hate involves specific acts motivated by racial hostility, including:

  • Threats
  • Violence
  • Intimidation
  • Property damage
  • Explicit racial targeting

Anti-Black hate is often more visible, targeted, and immediate.

Examples of Potential Anti-Black Hate Crimes

If motivated by racial bias, the following actions could be hate crimes under Canadian law:

  • Physical assault accompanied by racist slurs or racialized threats
  • Burning a cross or similar racially hostile symbol on a Black family’s property
  • Vandalizing property (e.g., Black-owned business, community centre) with racist graffiti or symbols
  • Making explicit threats of violence against someone because they are Black

These acts are distinguished from general crime when bias is a motivating factor and can be recorded as hate crimes under the Criminal Code. Toronto Police Service

Distinction from Hate Incidents

Not all acts motivated by racial bias are criminal offences. Hate incidents include behaviours that are biased or prejudiced but do not reach the legal threshold of a crime—though they are still harmful.

Examples include:

  • Using racial slurs
  • Making offensive comments or jokes about Black people
  • Sharing racist content online without explicit threats

Hate incidents contribute to unsafe environments and harm the dignity and wellbeing of Black people, and should be documented and reported to appropriate authorities or human rights organizations. Ontario Human Rights Commission

What are ways to protect myself if I experience Anti-Black Hate?

Experiencing Anti-Black hate can be frightening, disorienting, and deeply harmful. There is no single “right” way to respond. Your safety, wellbeing, and dignity matter.

Protecting yourself can involve immediate safety decisions, documentation, seeking support, and knowing your options.

1. Prioritize Your Immediate Safety

Your physical safety comes first.

If you feel unsafe:

  • Leave the area if possible
  • Seek help from people nearby
  • Call emergency services if you are in immediate danger

Trust your instincts. You are not overreacting for protecting yourself. You are never required to remain in a harmful situation to prove it happened.

2. Create Distance from Ongoing Harm

If the hate involves repeated contact (e.g., online harassment, workplace behaviour, neighbour disputes):

  • Block or mute online accounts where possible
  • Avoid engagement with individuals who are escalating harm
  • Seek support from trusted people to avoid isolation

Creating distance is a form of protection, not avoidance.

3. Document What Happened (If It Is Safe to Do So)

Documentation can be helpful whether or not you choose to report.

You may want to record:

  • Date, time, and location
  • What was said or done
  • Names or descriptions of those involved
  • Screenshots, photos, videos, or messages
  • Names of witnesses (if available)

This information can support:

  • Police reports
  • Human rights complaints
  • Community reporting
  • Legal advocacy

If documenting feels overwhelming, consider asking someone you trust to help.

4. Know Your Rights in Canada

Depending on the situation, Anti-Black hate may fall under:

  • Criminal law (e.g., threats, violence, hate-motivated mischief)
  • Human rights law (e.g., discrimination, harassment)
  • Workplace or school policies

You have the right to:

  • Safety
  • Dignity
  • Protection from discrimination and harassment

Understanding your rights can help you make informed choices—even if you decide not to pursue formal action.

5. Consider Reporting — When and How You Choose

Reporting is always your choice.

You may choose to:

  • Report to police (especially if there are threats or violence)
  • Report to a human rights body
  • Use a community-based reporting system

Each option serves a different purpose. None are required. Reporting does not have to happen immediately. You can take time to decide what feels right.

You can report Anti-Black hate through our community reporting system here:

Reporting System

6. Seek Support — You Do Not Have to Navigate This Alone

Experiencing hate can take a toll emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Support may include:

  • Legal information or advocacy
  • Community organizations
  • Counselling or mental health supports
  • Cultural or faith-based supports

  • Trusted friends, family, or mentors

Support acts as a protective resource that is available to Black Community members in person or online. You can follow this link to find Canadian Resources that are available.

7. Care for Your Wellbeing

Experiencing Anti-Black hate can impact your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. Feelings such as stress, fear, anger, grief, or exhaustion are normal responses to racial harm.

Protecting your wellbeing is an important part of safety and healing.

Ways to Care for Yourself

  • Rest and grounding: Give yourself permission to slow down, rest, and breathe.
  • Limit re-traumatization: Take breaks from news or social media that replay racial harm.
  • Seek affirming spaces: Spend time in Black-led, culturally safe, or community spaces where you feel understood.
  • Reconnect with joy: Music, creativity, movement, laughter, and cultural traditions can be protective.
  • Lean on community: Talk with trusted friends, family, elders, or support networks.

If you need additional support, culturally responsive mental health and community resources are available across Canada.

References & Further Support (Canada)

  • Canadian Race Relations Foundation: Information on hate crimes, hate incidents, and community impacts in Canada.
  • Ontario Human Rights Commission:Guidance on racial discrimination, harassment, and responding to hate.
  • Government of Canada – Department of Justice: Legal context on hate crimes, victims’ rights, and protections under Canadian law.
  • Statistics Canada: Data on police-reported hate crimes and trends affecting Black communities.
  • Black Legal Action Centre:  Legal support and advocacy for Black communities experiencing racism and hate.