The number of hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a quarter in a year, latest government figures show.
There were 155,841 offences recorded in the year to March, which is up 26% from the previous year.
It is the biggest annual rise since 2017, according to Home Office figures.
Police forces across England and Wales recorded 109,843 race hate crimes, 8,730 religious hate crimes, 26,152 sexual orientation hate crimes, 14,242 disability hate crime s and 4,355 transgender hate crimes.
Some crimes fall into more than one category.
The majority of hate crimes recorded by police were racially motivated - in line with previous years - and increased by 19% from the year ending 2021, the figures show.
And it is the first time the number of racially motivated hate crimes recorded over a year has topped 100,000.
Religious hate crimes rose by 37% to reach the highest level since records began in 2012.
Sexual orientation hate crimes increased by 41%, disability hate crime s by 43%, and transgender identity hate crimes by 56%.
Fewer hate crimes motivated by transgender identity were recorded compared with all other motivations, but this group saw the biggest percentage rise.
The Home Office said transgender issues have been "heavily discussed on social media" over the last year, which may have led to an increase in related hate crimes.
The report read: "It is uncertain to what degree the increase in police-recorded hate crime is a genuine rise or due to continued recording improvements and more victims having the confidence to report these crimes to the police."
The rise in the latest year was partly due to the "suppressant effect" of public health restrictions in place during the pandemic, when lower levels of crime were recorded, it added.
Triggers for short-term rises in recent years include the EU referendum in June 2016, terror attacks in 2017, and the Black Lives Matter protests and far-right counter-protests in summer 2020.
The Home Office said that evidence suggests a greater proportion of recorded crimes in recent years were for types of offence "which can be more challenging to investigate".
