Hate groups are dropping, but danger is growing
The deadly attack on Capitol Hill has highlighted the growing threat that violent far-right and antigovernment extremists pose to the national security of our country — a threat that the Department of Homeland Security formally flagged in its first ever terror warning about domestic extremists, not foreign ones.
We at the Southern Poverty Law Center have been tracking these groups for decades and have repeatedly sounded the alarm about the increasing danger that they pose. Our flagship Year in Hate report, released Feb. 1, found that the number of such groups is actually going down, with the number of active hate groups dropping from 940 to 838 over the past year.
But those national numbers mask a deeper and more alarming truth:Radical groups are not losing power. On the contrary, they are more dangerous than ever, especially in Pennsylvania. The state had 36 active hate groups in 2020 — more than most other states. An FBI analyst recently said Pittsburgh is a “hub” for white supremacyand extremists.
Political violence will not be disappearing anytime soon. Here’s why:
For starters, technology has enabled hate groups to spread their messages, including rampant disinformation, far beyond their literal members and at breathtaking speeds. Social media platforms have fueled the spread, often enabling fake news to travel farther and faster than true stories. Consequently, many people have been radicalized by hate and anti-government groups even though they aren’ t technically members.
It’s also becoming harder to track extremism. Growing numbers of far-right and anti-government groups are being forced off big media platforms, pushing them to lesser-known, sometimes encrypted platforms — including social media platforms like Parler, encrypted messaging services like Telegram and Signal, and live streaming appslikeDL ive.
Additionally, it is abundantly clear — and horrifying — that extremists appear increasingly likely to resort to violence. Through all of 2020, extremist protesters gathered at state capitols armed with weapons and military gear. Simultaneously, threats of violence skyrocketed. Groups spent months discussing a takedown of the government on social media.
All of this culminated in a massive, violent attack on the U.S. Capitol. Thousands of insurrectionists forced their way into the
complex, forcing lawmakers and aides to go into hiding as the mob ransacked offices and openly talked of murdering lawmakers. The assault left multiple people dead and dozens injured. Now, experts are concerned that more violence lies ahead.
Moreover, if history is any indication, it’s likely that the number of hate groups will increase with Congress and the White House controlled by Democrats in the middle of the pandemic. Past SPLCresearch shows that extremist groups tend to decline when allies are in office. Now, these groups are poised for a resurgence. Indeed, many extremist groups are using the Capitol attacks as an opportunity to recruit newmembers.
Clearly, extremist groups represent a dire threat to our nation. We need action to dismantle these groups and their messages.
For one, Congress should pass the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act, which would help prevent extremist violence by establishing offices within the DHS, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate cases of domestic terrorism and provide resources to strengthen partnerships with state and local law enforcement authorities to confront far-right extremism.
But at the same time, Congress should reject efforts to create a new criminal domestic terrorism statute — or the creation of a listing of designated domestic terrorist organizations. The laws we already have are potent, but applied with bias. A new domestic terrorism statute or list would adversely impact civil liberties and could be used to expand racial profiling or be wielded to surveil and investigate communities of color and political opponents in the name of national security.
It’s also critical to address the root causes of extremism. Many people are drawn to extremist groups because they appear to offer a common space for likeminded people to gather and share violent, hate-filled messages that they wouldn’t feel comfortable saying publicly. We must strengthen community support structures and provide caregivers with the tools to steer young people away from dangerous ideas and provide the meaningful relationships that people crave.
Extremist groups are incredibly dangerous. Policymakers must work urgently to dismantle them.