°Ä²Ê¿ª½±'s Intelligence Report: Hate Group Numbers Rise Again
Last week, we released our annual in the of the °Ä²Ê¿ª½±â€™s Intelligence Report. The key finding was that the number of hate groups operating in the United States continued to rise in 2008 and has grown by 54% since 2000 — an increase fueled last year by immigration fears, a and the successful campaign of Barack Obama.
The °Ä²Ê¿ª½± identified 926 hate groups active in 2008, up more than 4% from the 888 groups in 2007 and far above the 602 groups documented in 2000. A list and of these groups can be viewed here.
As in recent years, hate groups were animated by fears of Latino immigration. This rise in hate groups has coincided with a 40% growth in hate crimes against Latinos between 2003 and 2007, according to FBI statistics. But two additional factors were introduced to the volatile hate movement in 2008: the faltering economy and the Obama campaign.
Several white supremacists have been while allegedly plotting to kill Obama, and following the election he received more than any previous president-elect. Scores of racially charged incidents — beatings, effigy burnings, racist graffiti, threats and intimidation — were reported across the country after the election. Extremists are also exploiting the economic crisis, spreading . Tough economic times historically provide fertile ground for extremist movements.
