Interactive Map Pinpoints Hate and Extremism

Marking the first anniversary of the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., the Anti-Defamation League launched the ADL H.E.A.T. (Hate, Extremism, Anti-Semitism, Terrorism) Map. The “first-of-a-kind” interactive map details extremist and anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. and is a “visual reflection of select proprietary datasets developed by ADL experts” in the organization’s Center on Extremism.

Georgia saw a particularly high number of incidents: 30 cases of white supremacist propaganda; seven white supremacist events; one extremist-related murder; and 59 anti-Semitic events. This represents a big increase from previous years, the ADL stated. An increase in white supremacist propaganda on college campuses was particularly disturbing, with proponents bringing their materials to a variety of campuses, both private and public, urban and rural, the ADL reported. The map allows users to see the types of tactics extremists use, read details on specific incidents, compare activity by type and state, and access and download raw data.

“As extremism and hate amp up in Georgia and across the nation, so too will our efforts on the ground locally to expose hate and implement programs that educate all how to counter it,” said Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman, ADL Southeast regional director. Education programs such as “No Place for Hate,” touching over 200 schools in the region – including Atlanta Public Schools – “are crucial now more than ever so that students, educators and parents have the resources they need to respond to hate. We are increasing our work with law enforcement and community partners to identify and fight hatred of all kinds to build a better Georgia.” ADL Southeast published an accompanying blog post highlighting four successes since Charlottesville that show the positive impact ADL and community partners have had in fighting hatred.

Get The AJT Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

“It’s important to remember that extremist activity is not just confined to a historic town in Virginia, but rather an issue faced by communities every day across the country,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and national director. “As extremists continue to spread hate and incite violence using any and all means that they can, ADL is committed to exposing their efforts and fighting to prevent the hate they aim to spread.”

ADL Southeast Regional Director Allison Padilla-Goodman (right) explains that hate crimes are different from other crimes because they “are felt by entire communities, and when they are not adequately addressed, entire communities feel isolated, disenfranchised, unsafe and threatened. Hate crimes are message crimes. They are done to make entire communities feel unstable and scared.”

The ADL H.E.A.T. Map comes with a report that evaluates the ways the white supremacist movement, and the “alt-right,” in particular, have changed in the year since the events in Charlottesville, and provides an overview of the complicated state of white supremacy. Among the trends observed, the alt-right has embraced podcasts as a way to reach followers. White supremacist podcast audiences are not large by mainstream standards, but represent significant audiences for white supremacists, the ADL reported.

In addition, white supremacists have increased on-campus and off-campus propaganda efforts in the past year, the ADL stated. Since the beginning of 2017, ADL’s Center on Extremism has tracked more than 900 white supremacist propaganda incidents, from distributions of white supremacist literature to displays of white supremacist handbills, posters, and other materials. The 2017-18 school year saw a 77 percent increase of incidents on campus from the previous academic year, with 292 cases reported, compared to 165 in 2016-2017.

The initial information in the new map consists of more than 4,500 data points representing a range of extremist activities, including:

• Extremist-related murders (2008-2017)
• Terrorist plots and attacks (2002-2017)
• Right-wing: 2002-2017
• Islamist: 2002-2017
• Left-wing: 2008-2017
• Extremist shootouts with police (2008-2017)
• White supremacist propaganda on and off campus (fall 2016-to date)
• White supremacist rallies (2017-2018)
• Anti-Semitic incidents (2016-2017)

ADL is the world’s leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. ADL is a global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online. The organization’s ultimate goal is to create a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. For more information,  go to www.adl.org.