The Southern Poverty Law Center released its annual "Year in Hate and Extremism" report, identifying 940 active hate groups across the United States in 2019.
The number of hate groups represents a slight decline from the all-time high of 1,020 in 2018. The white-nationalist movement grew for a second straight year in 2019, as the number of hate groups in the movement rose to 155—a 55-percent increase since 2017. In addition to the growth of white-nationalist groups, the year was marked by a sharp increase of anti-LGBTQ hate groups, which rose from 49 in 2018 to 70 last year—nearly a 43-percent spike.
"This important new report shines a light on the explosion of anti-LGBTQ groups across our country," said Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, in a statement. "The resurgence of these groups poses a real danger to LGBTQ people and to the progress we have made, which feels increasingly precarious in the face of this administration's shocking support for anti-LGBTQ hate groups and apparent determination to roll back even the most basic legal protections for LGBTQ people. Now more than ever, we must push back against these hateful narratives and call on elected officials and others to stand up for our common humanity."
Twenty-six hate groups were found in Illinois, including five anti-LGBTQ organizations: Americans for Truth About Homosexuality ( Naperville ), Heterosexuals Organized for a Moral Environment ( H.O.M.E.; Downers Grove ), Illinois Family Institute ( Tinley Park ), Liberty Baptist Church ( Rock Falls ) and World Congress of Families/International Organization for the Family ( Rockford ).
For more information, see SPLCenter.org/year-hate-and-extremism-2019 .
