White supremacist and neo-Nazi activity has surged across the United States, with groups staging frequent public demonstrations and distributing propaganda. Just before Veterans Day, a neo-Nazi group scattered fliers in Waterloo, Iowa, proclaiming chillingly, “We are your neighbors! … We are everywhere.” Days later, neo-Nazis marched in Columbus, Ohio, waving swastika flags and shouting racial slurs in a prominent arts district. Similar incidents have occurred nationwide, including in Nashville, Tennessee, over the summer.
Such flash demonstrations, often involving small, masked groups, have become alarmingly common. These events typically include racist banners, graffiti, and offensive propaganda, designed to instill fear and amplify hate through social media. “It’s just that common,” said Oren Segal, vice president of the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism. “They happen almost every single week.”
According to the ADL, over 750 hate-driven incidents have been recorded since 2020, with more than half occurring in the past 18 months. In 2023, the Center tracked 282 events involving white supremacists, marking a 63% rise from 2022. Additionally, the ADL documented 7,567 incidents of hate propaganda last year, a 12% increase from 2022.
Experts attribute the rise in these activities to demographic shifts, political unrest, and an increasingly divisive discourse. Segal noted that smaller groups are now acting independently rather than coordinating with larger organizations, creating a proliferation of localized hate-driven events. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) reported a 14% increase in hate groups in 2023, many of which are spinoffs of larger organizations. “These groups are desperate for attention,” said Jeff Tischauser, senior research analyst at the SPLC.
Critics argue that far-right rhetoric, including that of former President Donald Trump, has emboldened these groups. Trump’s campaign dismissed such claims, insisting he advocates for all Americans. However, Segal emphasized that the normalization of hate in public and political spaces has fueled this trend.
In Nashville, groups like the Patriot Front and Goyim Defense League held provocative rallies, disrupted city meetings, and targeted Black children with slurs.
Link: NY Times
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