Here's a deep look at how the number of hate groups and hate crimes has evolved over the last year and the last two decades, according to SPLC.
1. Overall hate group numbers rose over election season
Over the course of the 2016 presidential campaign, the number of hate groups in the United States grew after falling off following former President Barack Obama's re-election. The number of total hate groups has risen 17% since 2014, to 917 organizations, according to data from the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC specifically pointed to a "presidential campaign that flirted heavily with extremist ideas" for the recent uptick in these groups. However, though the current number is double the number of hate groups that existed in 1999, it falls short of the high of 1,018 hate groups recognized by the organization in 2011.Read more...
