The HCU, which was formed in 1993, investigates all crimes suspected of being hate crimes. As defined under the Criminal Code, a hate crime is "a criminal offense committed against a person or property where the motivation is bias, prejudice, or hate, based on the victim's race, national or ethnic origin, language, color, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or any other similar factors." The law also proscribes hate propaganda, defined as "any communication that advocates or promotes genocide or makes statements that promote hatred against an identifiable group." The HCU collects and publishes data on reported hate crimes, as presented in this report. In the year 2000, the HCU received 204 hate crime reports, a 30-percent decrease from 1999. The offenses of assault, mischief, and threats were the most frequently reported. The police were present at several hate/bias demonstrations in 2000. The HCU believes a strong police presence at these demonstrations has deterred potential hate activity and sent a clear message that such offenses will not be tolerated. 2 tables and 2 figures