Slays illustrate lone-wolf white supremacist violence

An isolated attack by a lone-wolf extremist in Winthrop is an example of an escalating trend in whitesupremacist-inspired violence nationwide fueled by social media and political polarization.

“Political leaders at the very top of our society actually encourage some of these right-wing fascist groups which has really emboldened them,” said Northeastern Professor Jack Levin, an expert on hate crimes and criminology.

Instances of racist, antiSemitic and other hateful messages have exploded in recent years — including in Massachusetts where incidents are up 87%, according to a recent report by the Anti-Defamation League. Nationwide, the number of reports doubled in 2020 when compared to the prior year.

Data reveals similar trends are emerging for hate crimes, but federal data sets lag behind by nearly two years.

The latest FBI annual Hate Crime Statistics Act report reveals that 2019 was the deadliest year on record with 51 hate crime murders across the U.S. — a 113% increase over the previous record of 24 set in 2018. Total hate crime incidents rose to 7,314, marking the fourth increase in the past five years.

Levin said these trends aren’t surprising given the political climate which he said is compounded by the “pervasive reach” of the internet.

As reports reveal white supremacist propaganda is surging to all-time highs, the primary mode of delivery is across social media and the internet.

Levin said people don’t necessarily need to join groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers to become radicalized by their ideals. He said it happens quietly every day in chatrooms where white supremacist groups wield their influence and indoctrinate people to their beliefs. Some, Levin said, are moved to violence.

“Let’s put it this way — it’s white working-class Americans who feel that they’re being replaced by people of color. They feel threatened in a number of different ways and they’re lashing out, mostly on their own to defend against perceived threats,” Levin said.

It manifests as a rising number of attacks on Asian Americans — which have shot up amid the coronavirus pandemic — anti-Jewish rhetoric and messaging and, this past weekend, as the execution of two Black residents in Winthrop.