Hate groups in the US decline but their influence grows

The number of white nationalist, hate and anti-government groups around the U.S. dropped slightly in 2024, not because of any shrinking influence but rather the opposite. Many feel their beliefs, which includes racist narratives and so-called Christian persecution, have become more normalized in government and mainstream discourse. In its annual Year in Hate and Extremism report, released Thursday, the Southern Poverty Law Center said it counted 1,371 hate and extremist groups, a 5% decline. The nonprofit group attributes this to a lesser sense of urgency to organize because their beliefs have infiltrated politics, education and society in general. Some of the ways they have done this are through pushing for bans on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, book bans and protests of drag story hours, the report says. Last year, there were 533 active hate groups. These include groups who express views that are anti-LBGTQ+, anti-immigrant, antisemitic and anti-Muslim. This number has been steadily declining since reaching a historic high of 1,021 in 2018. "The trends have slightly sort of gone up and down but let's just say generally, since our tracking, have increased. And that's not just on a total numbers level but also on a per capita," said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project. The number of anti-government groups last year totaled 838, an increase from recent years, according to the law center based in Montgomery, Alabama, that tracks racism, xenophobia and far-right militias. These groups see the federal government as "tyrannical" and include militias and self-described sovereign citizens. Male supremacy also continues to emerge as an influential hate group. The SPLC documented seven new male supremacist hate groups, making the total 16. Their rhetoric espouses misogyny and strict gender roles. Their rising influence came during an election year when the country saw a woman of color be the first presidential nominee for a major political party. "I'm not sure it's a direct result of the candidacy of Kamala Harris," Rivas said. However, SPLC researchers went into chat rooms of white supremacist organizations during the election and found "intense vilification, the claiming of demonization of Harris as well as just the pushing of the idea falsely that women would not be qualified." Some people on the far right have also pushed a belief that white Christian culture is being threatened by a "demographic crisis" including fewer births. "Politicians, pundits and provocateurs on the right have turned toward demonic language to tar those who disagree with them," the report states. Last year's report found "record numbers" of white nationalist and anti-LGBTQ groups in 2023. The analysis highlighted how far-right groups tried to waylay democracy through disinformation, false conspiracy theories and threats to election workers. It also examined how supporters of Christian supremacy used similar topics to organize a movement toward authoritarianism. The SPLC is a liberal advocacy organization that, besides monitoring hate groups, files lawsuits over justice issues and offers educational programs to counter prejudice. Frequently criticized by conservatives as biased, the nonprofit has faced lawsuits for its designation of some organizations as hate groups. The report's release comes as a Los Angeles college professor made an appearance in front of media and supporters a few weeks after he was severely injured in a hit and run that he reported as a hate crime. Aki Maehara, 71, arrived at the Chinese American Museum in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning in a wheelchair but was able to walk himself to a podium. "All of your support, concern and care has helped to speed up my healing and has helped to raise my spirits," Maehara told the crowd. Photos of his injuries posted to a GoFundMe page have been shared multiple times on social media with users calling for hate crime charges. The crowdsourcing campaign has raised almost $80,000 for Maehara as of Thursday. Maehara said he is considering directing some of the funds "to other victims of Asian hate violence and other victims of racist violence who are currently in need of support." "I am wanting to add my voice to efforts to address fascist, racist violence directed against Asian Pacific Islander Americans, immigrant communities, all targeted communities and individuals during our current crisis," he said. Maehara was riding his electric bicycle in Montebello, 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles, on April 29 when he says heard a driver yell a racial slur. Maehara says a car then struck him and the driver fled. He was hospitalized with a concussion, neck injury, cheek bone fracture, bruises and swelling up and down his body among other injuries. Maehara, who is Japanese American, teaches a course on the history of racism in the U.S. at East Los Angeles College. He returned to the classroom last week, according to multiple outlets. The Montebello Police Department is investigating and treating the hit and run as a violent hate crime, said Det. Craig Adams. The department is seeking out video from homes in the neighborhood. "We are still canvassing," Adams said. "It's taken front row ahead of some other cases."