ADL: White supremacist propaganda reports quadrupled in 2019

Reports of white supremacist propaganda incidents in Massachusetts more than quadrupled last year, according to data released Wednesday by the AntiDefamation League — whose local leader said the racist messages “inspire people to commit violence and act out on their hatred.”

Last year in the Bay State, 148 incidents of white supremacist propaganda were reported, compared to 35 incident reports in 2018.

Across the country, reports of white supremacist propaganda distribution hit an all-time high last year — a total of 2,713 cases of literature distribution, compared to 1,214 incidents in 2018.

“It’s a major concern when these groups plaster a community with messages of hate,” ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan told the Herald. “These messages encourage and inspire people to commit violence and act out on their hatred.”

Trestan noted an increase in antiSemitic assaults in the United States. The FBI last year released data showing hate crime murders reaching a 27-year high in 2018, including the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history when a shooter killed 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Locally, authorities investigated suspected arson fires outside Chabad Centers in Arlington and Needham, Trestan noted.

“It’s really important for leaders of all levels to speak out against this propaganda, and for members of the public to not ignore it,” he said. “If you see it, report it to local law enforcement. We want to make sure the right resources are being deployed there to keep people safe.

“If we ignore it, we’re allowing it to become a normal part of our community, and that is not consistent with Massachusetts’ values,” Trestan said.

On Massachusetts college campuses, 30 incidents of white supremacist propaganda were reported.

Some of the Boston-area college campuses where white supremacist propaganda was distributed last year include Boston University, Northeastern University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Emerson College, Suffolk University, Wentworth Institute of Technology and Massachusetts College of Art and Design, the ADL said.