NASHVILLE, TN—The FBI Nashville Resident Agency and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee are encouraging the public to report hate crimes.

“Investigating hate crimes is the highest priority of the FBI’s Civil Rights program due to the devastating impact they have on families and communities,” said Douglas M. Korneski, special agent in charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all people, and we will aggressively pursue those who commit criminal offenses based on bias.”

“Violent acts motivated by hate have no place in our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Every person has the right to live without fear of violence or intimidation and we will continue to hold those accountable whose hate-filled aggression violates the civil rights of another individual.”

Defining a Hate Crime

The FBI defines a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”

How to Report

Anyone who has been the victim of a hate crime, or anyone who has witnessed a hate crime, is encouraged to report this information to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Information may be reported anonymously.

Help us fight hate in our communities together. To learn more about hate crimes, visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/hate-crimes and https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.