Denver, March 14, 2007 ... Following a national trend, for the second year in a row the number of anti-Jewish incidents in Colorado have declined, according to the Anti-Defamation League's 2006 annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents.

Colorado also dropped in rank from tenth to eleventh for the most anti-Semitic incidents among the 44 states and the District of Columbia audited. Of the 22 Colorado incidents and 1 Wyoming incident reported to ADL's Mountain States Regional Office, which serves Colorado and Wyoming, 12 were acts of harassment, down from 27 in 2005, and 11 were acts of vandalism, an increase of 3 incidents from 2005.   A total of 36 anti-Jewish incidents were reported in Colorado in 2005.

Nationally, a total of 1,554 anti-Semitic incidents were reported across the United States in 2006, representing a 12 percent decline from 1,757 reported in 2005.

"While we are pleased to see a decrease in reported anti-Semitic incidents in our region, there is still much work to be done," said Bruce H. DeBoskey, ADL's Mountain States Regional Director. "It is extremely important that people continue to report ugly, hateful incidents to law enforcement agencies and to ADL so together we can shine the light on such hurtful acts."

In Colorado, 4 of the 11 reported incidents of harassment were the distribution of anti-Semitic fliers by organized hate groups, including the Nationalist Coalition.

Of the total number of incidents reported in the Mountain States Region in 2006:

• 2 were committed against synagogues
• 6 were committed against individuals
• 3 were committed against public property
• 2 were committed against Jewish institutions
• 6 were committed against public institutions

In addition to these incidents, the following 4 incidents took place at public schools:

• A high school student finding a swastika and "Go back to Jerusalem, you filthy Jew" written on her locker, and later that same day another swastika and the message, "Die!" on her locker
• A swastika was painted on the gym locker of a Jewish student
• "Die Jew" was painted on a Jewish student's locker
• A fellow student threw food and yelled "f---ing Jew" at a Jewish student

The following 3 incidents happened at public universities:

• The removal of Mezuzahs from two Jewish students' dorm room doors
• "F---ing Jews" written on the dorm door of a Jewish student
• The distribution of a hate group's flyer "Testing Your Level of Anti-Semitism"

The 2006 ADL Audit comprises data from 44 states and the District of Columbia, including official crime statistics as well as information provided to ADL's regional offices by victims, law enforcement officers and community leaders. The Audit identifies both criminal acts, such as vandalism, violence and threats of violence; and non-criminal incidents of harassment and intimidation, including hate propaganda leafleting and verbal slurs. This information assists ADL in developing and enhancing its programs to counter and prevent the spread of anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.