Fact check: Are lynchings still happening in 2025?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, lynchings are indeed still occurring in 2025. Multiple sources confirm recent incidents across different regions:

• International incidents: A lynching occurred in Bangladesh on July 9, 2025 ^[1], and another incident was reported in Guatemala following an earthquake, with five men lynched after allegations of theft ^[2].
• Israeli-Palestinian context: A Palestinian American man was lynched by Israeli settlers near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, with the press release dated July 11, 2025 ^[3].
• United States context: Evidence suggests lynchings have continued in Mississippi beyond the last officially recorded lynching in 1981, with at least eight suspected lynchings of Black men and teenagers since 2000 ^[4]. Historical sources reference modern cases like James Byrd in 1998 and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 ^[5], and a 2022 case where Peter Spencer's death was considered a "modern-day lynching" by his family and lawyer ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Geographic scope: The analyses reveal that lynchings occur globally, not just in historically associated regions like the American South. Recent incidents span from Bangladesh to Guatemala to the occupied West Bank ^{[1] [2] [3]}.
• Definition and classification challenges: There's an important distinction between officially recorded lynchings and incidents that families, lawyers, or communities classify as "modern-day lynchings" ^[6]. This suggests potential underreporting or definitional disputes about what constitutes a lynching in contemporary contexts.
• Statistical context: While hate crime data shows decreases in reported incidents from 2023 to 2024 according to FBI statistics ^{[7] [8]}, this data doesn't specifically address lynchings, and some regions like Los Angeles County report increases in hate incidents, particularly at educational institutions ^[9].
• Ongoing vs. isolated incidents: The question implies uncertainty about whether lynchings are a continuing phenomenon, but the evidence suggests they represent both isolated incidents and potentially systematic patterns in certain regions.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation, but it reflects a potential knowledge gap about the contemporary reality of lynchings. The phrasing "still happening" suggests possible assumptions that:

• Lynchings might have ended at some historical point
• They might be primarily a historical American phenomenon
• Official statistics might capture all incidents

The analyses reveal that lynchings never completely stopped ^[4], occur internationally ^{[1] [2] [3]}, and may be underreported or misclassified in official statistics. The question's framing could inadvertently minimize the ongoing nature of this violence by treating it as potentially historical rather than a continuing global human rights issue.