A new study reveals a sevenfold increase in anti-Semitic comments on Facebook since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, highlighting a concerning rise in online hate speech targeting Jewish individuals in Denmark. The study, conducted by Nordic Safe Cities and AKVAH, a department within the Jewish Community in Denmark, indicates not only a surge in the quantity of anti-Semitic comments but also a coarsening of their tone.

Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs Morten Dahlin (V) has expressed deep concern over the findings, emphasizing the importance of ensuring a safe and free life for Jewish citizens within Danish society.

Prior to October 7, the average number of anti-Semitic comments shared monthly on Facebook was 86, between May 1, 2021, and May 1, 2023. However, following the attack, this number has skyrocketed to 666 anti-Semitic comments per month.

The analysis, prepared by Commom Consultancy, involved collecting Facebook posts and comment threads from media outlets and politicians’ pages between August 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024. During this period, the words “Jew” or “Jewish” appeared in 69,012 comments. Using artificial language intelligence, the consultancy identified 10,189 comments containing hateful content against Jews.

The study found that nearly half of the anti-Semitic comments originated in comment threads on Facebook pages of prominent national media outlets, including B.T., TV 2 Nyhederne, and Ekstra Bladet. One example cited in the study reads, “What is worse than the Holocaust? Six million Jews.”