Anti-LGBT Hate Crimes in Germany Rise by 13% in 2025

The Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany (BKA) has reported a sharp increase in hate crimes against LGBT people. In 2025, 2,377 such offenses were registered in the country, a 12.8% increase from the previous year, despite the overall level of politically motivated crime remaining stable.

According to the published statistics , a significant portion of crimes against the LGBT community is characterized by a high rate of violent acts, which noticeably exceeds the average rate for politically motivated offenses in the country. Out of the total number of incidents, 2,070 were categorized as hate crimes based on sexual orientation (including 284 acts of violence), and 1,294 based on gender diversity (112 acts of violence), with some cases falling into both groups. The majority of the crimes are classified by the agency as right-wing extremist or lacking a clear political classification.

The statistics also revealed significant regional differences. In the state of Bremen, the number of such offenses more than doubled, rising from 26 cases in 2024 to 60 in 2025. Authorities attribute this growth to the increased visibility of the community, as well as to the intensified aggressive mobilization of right-wing extremist groups, including on the internet.

Experts and data from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (EU-LGBTI II) study indicate the existence of a massive dark figure: up to 90% of attacks and instances of hate speech remain unreported. Victims often do not contact the police due to fear of a homophobic or transphobic reaction from law enforcement, or because they consider the incident not serious enough. In response to the rising crime rates, a number of regions plan to expand the use of specialized investigative groups aimed at combating anti-LGBT violence.