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Anti-Defamation League releases ‘Hate in the Prairie State’ report

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Racist propaganda campaigns and antisemitic acts more than doubled last year in Illinois, according to a report released Tuesday by the Anti-Defamation League that details alarming examples of extremism across the state.

The report, titled “Hate in the Prairie State,” provides a comprehensive list of radical forces targeting Illinois, including white supremacist groups, anti-LGBTQ+ zealots and adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory that vehemently supports former President Donald Trump.

“In some ways, we think that we live in Illinois and somehow we’re immune to this,” David Goldenberg, the ADL’s Midwest director, said in an interview. “But the reality is that these groups have a presence here, they are active and, in some parts of the state, we’re seeing this type of hate and extremism become mainstreamed.” […]

Antisemitic acts including assault, harassment and vandalism rose to their highest level in recent history in 2022, jumping 128% from the previous year, from 53 to 121. That was the seventh-largest statewide total in a year that saw “the highest-ever number of antisemitic incidents nationwide,” the ADL noted. […]

Ahead of a Tuesday news conference detailing the report, Goldenberg noted that hate crimes nationwide are at a 20-year high: “They have not been this high since 2001, in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

You can watch the news conference by clicking here.

* From the report…

• Antisemitic Incidents: According to ADL’s annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, Illinois has seen a dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years. In 2022, the number of incidents increased by 128% from 2021 levels, rising from 53 to 121. The state’s total was the seventh-highest number of incidents in the country in a year when ADL tracked the highest-ever number of antisemitic incidents nationwide. This is a dramatic increase from 2016, when there were 10 incidents. Preliminary numbers through June 2023 indicate that there have been at least 33 additional antisemitic incidents in the state.
• Extremist Plots and Murders: In 2021 and 2022, ADL documented one extremist murder in Illinois. In November 2022, a man allegedly intentionally drove the wrong way on an interstate highway and crashed into another car, killing the driver. The man said he wanted to kill himself after being convicted for crimes committed while participating in the January 6 insurrection, and he has been charged with additional crimes, including first-degree murder.
• Extremist Events: Since 2021, ADL has documented four white supremacist extremist events in Illinois, predominately marches and protests.
• White Supremacist Propaganda: In 2022, ADL documented 198 instances of white supremacist propaganda distributions across Illinois, an increase of 111% from 2021 (94). Through May 2023, there have been an additional 64 white supremacist propaganda incidents. Patriot Front was responsible for a large majority of white supremacist propaganda throughout Illinois.
• Hate Crimes Statistics: According to the latest FBI hate crimes statistics available, there were 101 reported hate crimes in Illinois that targeted a variety of communities, including Jewish, Black and Asian American and Pacific Islander. This total was an increase of 80% from the 56 incidents recorded in 2020.
• Insurrection Statistics: Thirty-six of the 968 individuals logged by the George Washington University Program on Extremism who have been charged in relation to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol are Illinois residents.
• ADL and Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative Threats and Harassment Dataset: The Threats and Harassment Dataset (THD) tracks unique incidents of threats and harassment against local U.S. officials between January 1, 2020, and September 23, 2022, in three policy areas (election, education and health). Illinois recorded six incidents of threats and harassment against local officials.

There’s lots more.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:37 am

Comments

The Chicago City Council is looking at new legislation to strengthen tracking and reporting of hate crimes and incidents. Good to see increased awareness and analysis like this while one of the better policy responses to these trends across the country moves forward here.

Comment by P. Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:52 am
Thanks for the link, Rich. I just downloaded it and will be reading it with keen interest, after classes.

Comment by H-W Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:03 pm
The political rhetoric coming from serial candidate Darren Bailey is inflammatory and lacks a professional tone. His array of products (probably made in China) include items that suggest impeaching the current president and suggest prison for the president and vice president in 2024.

Desperate Darren will say and do anything to put his name and face in front of the public. Kinda contradictory as he reads from scripture on the one hand and then suggests impeachment or prison for elected public officials.

Bailey is the worst type of hypocrite.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:07 pm
Thanks for sharing Rich. This stats are pretty disturbing. Can’t ignore what the data show. And hopefully those on the far left and far right can ratchet down their rhetoric, which contributes to the toxic culture of antisemitism.

Comment by Shytown Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 1:22 pm
There’s so much. So much.

It’s disheartening and disgusting.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 1:25 pm
Two things stand out in this report. The first is the amount and diversity of hate crimes existing in Illinois. As the number of hate-related incidents in Illinois have begun growing, we now rank seventh in the nation. Controlling for population might suggest we have a slightly lower than average probability of experiencing such crimes, but not much less than average. That suggests we have a lot of work to do.

Second, I would note that the conclusions (strategies and recommendations) of the ADL indicate that in many ways, Illinois is on the path toward righteousness, and is in fact a leader in addressing the national problem of hate crime.

Comment by H-W Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 2:36 pm
Disheartening but not surprising in any way. While most of it does not rise to the level of hate crimes, the rate of people holding hateful views or believing antisemitic ideologies is rapidly on the rise as well. It is hard to know the solution to this, especially in the shorter term while longer term educational solutions start to be implemented. The ADL recommendations are good and important, but are aimed at hate crime vs the underlying hate in the public discourse

Comment by CornAl DoGooder Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 3:00 pm
Wisdom and compassion are inseparable…as are hatred and violence.

America is suffering from a broken heart?

Comment by Dotnonymous x Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 5:16 pm